Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-04-02


The prospect seemed hopeless. The
cattle were going slower now as she
worked toward the center, which was
yet a great way Off. Her pony was
wedged In so tightly that he could
not fall. The voice kept up a continual
cry Of encouragement. 1t seemed tc
be drawing nearer, but the terrible
strain under which she was laborlng
was telling upon her. Although she
clutched the pommel Of her saddle witt
the tenacity of despair she found her.
self swaying dlzzlly. She clinched her
teeth and summoned all her resolution
for last effort, but realized with n
growing horror that her end was near
If help did not come quickly she would
be PROSTATE on the mass of horns.
Still the voice appealed to her, called
to her, pleaded with her, lmplored her,
stimulated her. She held on and on
desperately as she swept around al,
around.
As they drew near the two cowboys
worst mills they had ever witnessed.
There was a little dip to the ground
where the cattle had swerved that had
thrown them even more violently to-
ward the center than would have oc-
Cured on level prairie. The first man
thought he had never seen any steers
tighten so quickly and whirl so fast.
His impulse was to leap his horse
across the intervening cattle straight
ut the figure OF the girl, as a cavalry
man rides down an obstacle, but he
knew that such a step would be fatal.
The mill must be broken. 1t must be
unwound The first man swung his
pony In toward the outer edge and
raced with 1t, seeking an opening near
the woman, TO whom he cried words
of encouragement With the savage
qulrt at his wrist he struck the cattle
ahead OF him again and again. The
FIRST blows had no effect, but the repe
tition at last met with response. They
swerved slightly, and he forced his
horse into the outer edge. Having eff.
fected this entrance, he knew that he
had made a sufficient beginning to en-
able him In the end to loosen the tight
ened ring. He was just little In
front of the girl, and back OF him the
other man was nobly seconding his eff
forts. Would she be able to keep up
long enough for them to accomplish
her rescuef
They worked desperately. Men al
ways work desperately under such cir.
cumstances. but In this instance 1t was
with added incentive. The first, the
nearest man to her, OWNED rather
than saw as he caught glimpses OF her
face. deathly pale through the dust,
that she could not keep up much long
Or. His effort was twofold-to break
the mill and save the girl. SO with re-
doubled energy he bored his way in
and In. The outer edge where he ran
was well broken now, but two lines of
steers interviewed between him and the
girl. Sweat poured from his face like
water. His heart thumped as no STAN
psding cattle could have caused It to
beat or any range. He was nearer
now. The cattle were sufficiently bro
ken for him to stake everything on
last effort. He pulled heavy revolv-
Or from his holster and began shooting.
One, two, three steers went crashing
down. He urged his pony into the
open caused by their fall and by main
strength OF horse and man bore the
whirling line far outward. The mill
was broken. The cowboy In the rear
gave him brilliant assistance. In the
twinkling OF an eye that which had
been wound began to unwind.
What OF the woman? Was he too
late? He saw her sway In the saddle.
Shc would be thrown on the edge of
the circle and trampled to DEATH Leav-
ing the mill to unwind itself. he leaped
his pony toward her just In time. for
as he approached she pitched forward
and fell. Providence threw her to the
right rather than to the left. The
man caught her In ruthless grip.
fortunately she wore no trailing skirt
and her feet were out Of the stirrups
A. It was. the divided garment she
wore was torn into ribbons on the
horns and one boot was dragged on.
lt was well that she had fallen to a
stout arm. The effort entailed upon
him to keep the saddle and drag the
woman free was tremendous, but his
strength was a. the strength OF ten
hat day and did not fail him. He
swept her to his breast at last and
lid her senseless, but free. He had
accomplished the impossible.
Yhoy were now In the angle formed
~ the tangent and the circle. and the
Woy was clear before them. He
1yurred his tired horse. which had
1ons such splendid work. out into the
open and stopped. He did not dare
mt the girl down yet--not until the
cattle had completely unwound them
oo,vos and the jam had been bro,,an--
~ he did not know what might oc-
81.
Fortune. however. had subjected