Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-08-20
6he 49,. -
y E.W. HORNUNG,
Rogue 5 =: !: =:
x * -
March. ..,,: :;:: =: !, $: ST..
IA q.

sos ~
ne could recover himself a trooper took
deliberate aim at the little man. Tom
saw him, however, and fired point
blank at the outstretched arm. 1t fell.
and the next Tom knew was that he
and Hockey were galloping neck and
neck for the gate with but one pursuer
close upon them.
Hockey had apparently received no
hurt. The battered hat was off and
his benevolent forehead rose high and
white above his mask. 1t was to be
Toms last memory of the little gray
man. lie had thrown away one pistol,
drawn another and turned to fire it
with every furrow of that fine brow
showing in the glare. But Tom heard
the man behind fire first and saw those
burrows leap into space like snapped
fiddle strings, and he galloped through
the gate alone.
Whether the slayer came to grief
over the slain or how else to account
for 1t, Tom never knew, but he now
got start which he WAS destined to
keep and to increase. Now also he be-
gan for the first time to appreciate the
piece of hard bitted horsefesh between
his knees. He had taken the dead
Italians rom. which had been led
riderless to the farm and was thus
comparatively fresh. 1t was a great
gaunt brute, with mouth like leather,
as Tom had discovered to his cost In
the skirmish. Once through the gate,
however, he felt that no more; the
beast had run away without his know
ing 1t.
Indeed he knew very little for tina
first few minutes except that the moon
was setting at his back and he was
once moro heading for the sen. This
he gathered from the grotesque shadow
leaplng along between the roan's ears.
His first conscious effort was to keep
that shadow dead ahead. Now he lost
1t where the timber thickened, now he
found 1t in an open glade. At length
the shadow failed and vanished, and it
was very dark indeed, but on went the
roam with Tom on Its withers to avoid
Invisible boughs, and when the sky
lightened he could have shouted for
Joy, for the roan's ears took shape
against its lightest point.
He did not shout because his pursuers
would have heard him, for all this time
he had heard them at intervals, and
whenever the ground changed from
hard to soft their hoofs rang out the
instant the roan's were muftied.
The Joy Of that wild ride through the
gum trees to the sea! He forgot the
little value he had set upon his life and
rode for 1t now us men ride for moth
Ing else. Yet he rocked but little of the
result. He knew no fears and no re-
grets. but instead an exhilaratlon such
as he had never known before. 1t
might be his last hour. He reveled in
1t the mOre-was the more grateful for
ton that account. To have tasted
such life as this at llfe's end! To die
after this with no more pain! To reach
the sweet sea and swim out to rest!
And now he smelt 1t. The rushing
air was spiced with salt Even in the
pungent forest he detected it through
all the odors and was mistaken in that
no more. Only one question remained
in his mind. Would the roam hold out?
Would the roam hold out?
Long ago the pace had slackened.
Long ago Tom had stopped aud ripped
his big boots down to the ankles and
cast them from him with all else that
had been the Italians. He was now
riding light ten stone in his shirt
and trousers. His bare feet were
numb from standing In the stirrups
to ease the roam. But the trees had
been rushing past in myrlads half the
night. and still they stood against the
morning skyline, like blots of ink upon
slate. in myriads more.
On the other hand, he had heard
nothing of his pursuers For some time
and was beginning to wonder whether
they had given up the chase Their
horses might well have started less
fresh than his. Had they given 1t up
or had they not?
Tom had asked himself the question
for the twentieth time when some
thing happened, and he had his an
swer sitting stupidity on the ground.
The roam was disappearing amid the
trees, with the saddle beneath its belly.
Its startled gallop died away like the
roll of drum. But heavier hoofs were
coming up behind.
Tom sprang up, but sat down again
with n yelp Of pain. His ankle was
badly spra!ned. He felt for a weapon.
but he had thrown them all away.
Even his knife lie seemed to have hurl-
ed after the long boots or le.t In
pocket Of the blue jacket, which had
been jettisoned in Its turn.
He sat still and groaned. To have
to surrender sitting still! What an
end to his ride! What beginning of
the end of oil!
The heavy hoofs came nearer, near
er Three troopers labored into view,
gave yell and put spurs to their tired
horses, but ceased to spur them when
they saw their man.
"Why, who are your cried they.
'Thc man you want"
II wish you were. You're all we
shall get with these horses But you
must have heard him pass"
A light broke over Tom. lie said he
had heard it, but some time since,
when 1T was darker and he was half
asleep.
And what made you think you were
our man?' asked another trooper sus-
piciously.
"I-I-I'm n runaway convict"
'"rhen you're better than nothing"
cried the former SpeHIxer "you,lI cnma