The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1909-11-19

the rain beating her burning face and
her horse leaping fearfully into the
wind
No man could have kept the trail to
the pass that night. The horse took
1t as il the path flashed in sunshine,
and swung into the familiar stride
that had carried her SO many times
over the 20 miles ahead of them. The
storm driving into Dicksie's face
cooled her. Every moment she recol-
lected herself better, and before her
mind all the aspects of her venture
ranged themselves She had set
herself to a race, and against her rode
the hardest rider in the mountains.
She had set herself to what few men
on the range would have dared and
what no other woman on the range
could do. A gust drove into her face.
They were already at the head of the
pass, and the horse, with level ground
underfoot, was falling into the long
reach; but the wind was colder
Dicksie lowered her head and gave
jim the rein. She realized how wet
she was; her feet and her knees were
wet. She had no protection but her
skirt, though the meanest rider on
all her countless acres would not have
braved mile on such a night without
leather and fur. The great lapels OF
her riding jacket, reversed, were but.
toned tight across her shoulders, and
the double fold of fur lay warm and
dry against her heart and lungs; but
her hands We're cold, and her skirt
dragged leaden and cold from her
waist, and water soaked in upon her
chilled feet.
She became conscious of how fast
she was going. Instinct, made keen
by thousands of saddle miles, told
Dicksie of her terrific pace. She was
riding faster than she would have
dared go at MONDAY and without
| thought or fear of accident In spite
of the sliding and the plunging down
the long hill, the storm and the dark
ness brought no thought of fear fol-
| herself; her only fear was for those
| ahead. In supreme moments horse
! like man when human efforts be
| come superhuman, puts the lesser dan
gers out reckoning, and the facul
ties, set on a single purpose, though
strained to the breaking-point, never
break. Low in her saddle, Dicksie
tried to reckon how far they had come
and how much lay ahead. She coul6
feel her skirt stiffening about hel
knees, and the rain beating at hel
face was sharper; she knew the sleel
as it stung her cheeks, and knew wha1
next was coming-the snow.
There was no need to urge jim. Ht
had the rein and Dicksie bent down tt
speak to him, as she often spoke
when they were alone on the road
when Jim, boiling, almost threw her
Recovering instantly, she knew the.
We're no longer alone. She rose aler
in her seat. Her straining eyes .coult
see nothing. Was there sound ii
the wind? She held her breath to lis
| ten, but before she could apprehent
Jim leaped violently ahead. Dicksi,
screamed in an agony of terror. ,Sh,
knew then that she had passed anoth
er rider, and SO close she might hav,
! touched him.
! Fear froze her to the saddle; it len
wings, to her horse. The speed be
came wild. Dicksie knit herself to he
dumb companion and prayer choke,
| in her throat. She crouched lost
bullet tear her from her horse; BIZ
through the darkness no bullet came
only the sleet, singing her face
stiffening her gloves, freezing her hail
chilling her limbs, and weighing he
like lead on her struggling horse. Sh
knew not even Sinclair could oyertak
her row-that no living man could la