Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-01-29

at the figure of the girl, as cavalry
man rides down an obstacle, but he
knew that such 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
quirt at his wrist he struck the cattle
ahead of him again and again. The
first blows had no effect but the repe-
tition Mt 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 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 rescue?
They worked desperately. Men al
ways work desperately under such cir
NoAAotohSSSs Jul III tuiS lu5tuuCc IL WIS
with added incentive. The first, the
nearest man to her, OWNED rather
than saw MS he caught glimpses of her
face. death!y pale through the dust,
that she could not keep up much long
err 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
peding cattle could have caused it to
beat on any range. He was nearer
row. The cattle were sufficiently bro.
ken for him to stake everything on n
last effort. He pulled heavy rerolY-
err 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 real
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
She would be thrown Oh the edge OF
the circle and tramp!ed to death! Leav-
Ing the mill TO unwind itself, he leaped
his pony toward her just in time, for
as lie approached she pitched forward
and fell. Providence threw her to the
right rather than to tie left. The
man caught Her In ruthless grip.
Fortunately she wore no trailing skirt
and her feet were out of the stirrups.
AS it was. the divided garment she
wore was torn into ribbons ON the
horns and one boot was dragged off.
1t 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 rs the strength Of ten
that day and did not fail him. He
swept her to his breast at last AMI
held her senseless. but free He had
accomplished the impossible.
They We're now in the angle formed
by the tangent and the circle, and the
way was clear before them. He
spurred his tired horse. which had
done such splendid work, out into the
open and stopped. He did not dare
put the girl down 'yet-not until the
cattle had completely unwound them
selves and the jam had been broken
for he did not know what might oc
cur.
Fortune. however. had subjected
Miss Renwyck to all the trials de
manded of her that day, for the herd
Of painting cattle, blindly following
new leaders. presently unwound itself
and streamed across the prairie, going
slower and slower, as the panic i'm
pulse subsidized almost as quickly as 1t
had arisen. The steer the accident to
which had caused the trouble lay dead
where the vortex had been. The mans
companion had ridden up to him as
soon as he could. but the man who
held the girl directed him to ride on
after the herd lest they get into trouble
again.
shes all right" he said. "only
tainted. Yon ride after the bunch
Head 'em Off before they leave the
range. I'll look after the lady. I'll
follow You presently"
With the others assistance lie lower
ed the girl to the grass and dlsmOunted
himself Miss Harriet Renwyck was
not exactly ut her hest at that mo-
ment. She was as white rs cotton
boil where her pallor could be seen
for the dust. Her glorious black hair
was unbound and flowed in wild dlsor-
der about her Her clothing was rip
ped and torn. She was the picture of