Golden Valley chronicle. (Beach, Billings County, N.D.) 1905-1916, 1910-05-20
Avid Race
By WILLIAM EASTMAN
Copyright. 1910. by American Press
Association.

owner Ills wire was Oemure little
woman, who said nothing during the
meal, her sole ambition apparently
being to see that his children had
what they wished aud what was best
for them to eat. After dinner, while
smoking with my host, asked him If
his wife, being such gentle, feminine
little woman. did not find life in
new country distastcful.
lie smiled. II could tell you story
about that gentle, feminine little wo-
man," he said. that would make
your hair curl
do So" replied.
LISA" lie began-"thats my wife
was born out here. Her father came
years old she was out one day with
her father and brother, who were pros
pec1ing. They had with them horse
Of Tennessee racing stock and feet us
the wind.
while Lisa was flower gathering
and her father and brother feeling
about in the ground with their picks
ed UP and saw her Gather and brother
looking at each other, both very pale.
Then her father ran to Jack, calling
to her at the same time to come to
him. looscd the bride rein, put her on
him and said:
'''!sile for your life. A cloudburst
is coming. Stick to Jack. He can out
run anything.
and, turning the horses head down
the gorge, he gave him slap on his
hauncb, and away he went, with little
Lisa astradle Of his back.
slt was not far to canyon commu-
nicating with the gorge they We're in.
ana if Lisa could have turned her
horse into it she would have been
safe Her father and brother, who
rode the other two horses, did this
aud had the satisfaction to see the
torrent boiling past them. they being
on higher ground and out of its path.
Bu1 in giving her the high bred racer
they had endangered her instead of
giviE. her the best chance. Jack.
hearing the torrent coming after him,
became untnanageable through terror
aud shot right past the mouth of the
canyon.
ortunateIy Lisa had been used to
horses. She knew her danger too.
Jack was liable every moment to fall
and was killing himself In the strug-
gle. How he ever passed over the
path he did can't Imagine. I've been
over it often since. and every time |
wonder more. If he fell the torrent
would be on him and his rider before
he could get up aud she mount him
again. even if that were possible. II
he became exhausted that meant
death too.
''Once, she says. she looked back to
see what had become of her father
and brother. She saw great trees
hurled by mad torrent against the
rocky sides of the canyon. One sight
Of such scene was enough for her
She tried to soottle her horse by
speaking to him and batting him or
the neck. Several times he had stun
bled, but recovered himself, and she
knew this was her greatest danger.
well, here l come in. l was ten
derfoot ordered by my doctor to com,
out here to breathe the mountain air
At the time Lisa was coming dow
the canyon l was being driven In {
light wagon in the opposite direction
by man had hired for the purpose
We heard roaring: but. being I:
greenhorn in the country and the driv
er being stupid, neither of us knew
what it meant. The road was narrow
Beside it was the waterway and O
either hand the canyons walls.
suddenly saw VI the gorge hors
coming lickety split aud knew by flut
tering skirts that woman was o
him. He couldn't pass us at that gal
owing to the fact that we took up a
but about three feet of the road. Lis
says he seemed TO recognize the fac
for he slowed up Of his own accord.
Just before Lisa reached us my dri,
er seemed to catch the meaning Of
all and. jumping fr"m tue wagon. b.
gan to scramble up the side of ii
canyon. !. not understanding VIII
was the matter. sat still till the gi
came up. had never seen her b
fore, but ] was not likely to forget I!
picture. Her horse was white wit
foam; her hair had broken loose III
was flying in the wind.
"a cioudburst" she cried
Il didn't know what cloudbur
was. but at that moment caught sig
of its forward edge and didn't nee
any one to tell me- had come we
IN a sleeping berth all the way fro
Ohio and was weak as q kitten. N
cowarliy driver was taking care
himself but paying no attention
me. The girl took in the situatio
She was trying to squeeze her hor
between the stone wall Of the gult
and the wagon, but had presence
mind to call to me to get on behil
her. One glance at that coming deal
gave ME all the strength needed. al
was on Jack in jiffy. Then 81
let him go again.
Eve We're mile from her home, IL
horse was getting exhausted. and no