The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1916-11-23

L
wagon few stray cattle. But no
he soon deserted several hOrsemen
Shots and yclls behind him attesteC
TO the fact that his pursuers likewise
! had seen these newcomers on the scene
More than n mile separated these two
parties, yet that distance did not keeT
them from soon understanding each
other Duane waited only to see this
new factor show signs of sudden quick
action, and then, with a muttered
curse he spurred his horse or the
road into the brush.
He chose the right side, because the
river lay nearer that way and put his
horse to his best efforts, straight
ahead He had to pass those men.
When this was seemingly made i'm
possible by a deep wash from which
he had 70 turn, Duane began to feel
cold and sick. Almost he lost his bear
ings, and finally would have ridden
toward his enemies had not good
fortune favored him in the matter of
, an open burned-over stretch of
ground.
Here he saw both groups Of pur-
suers, one on each side and almost
within gunshot. Their sharp yells, as
much as his cruel spurs, drove his
horse into that pace which now meant
life or death for him. And never had
Duane bestrode a gamer, swifter,
stancher beast He seemed about to
accomplish the impossible. In the
dragging sand he was far superior to
any horse in pursuit, and on this sandy
open stretch he gained enough to spare
little In the brush beyond. Heated
now and thoroughly terrOrized, he kept
the pace through thlekets that almost
tore Duane from his saddle. Some
thing welghty and grim eased off
Duane. He was going to get out in
front The horse had speed, fire,
stamina.
A race began then, dusty, crashing
drive through gray mesquite. Duane
could scarcely see, he was so blinded
by singing branches across his eyes.
The hollow wind roared in his ears.
He lost his sense of the nearness of
his pursuers. But they must have
been close. Did they shoot at him? He
imagined he heard shots. But that
might have been the cracking of dead
snags. His left arm hung limp, al
most useless; he handled the rein
with his right; and most of the time
'he hung low over the pOmmel.
Suddenly he burst out of line of
mesquite into the road. A long stretch
of lonely road How fiercely, with
hot, strange joy he wheeled his horse
upon it Then he was sweeping along,
sure now that he was out in front. |
His horse still had strength and speed, |
but showed signs of breaking. Pre-
sently Duane looked back. Pursuers-
he could not count how many-were |
more attention to them, and with teeth |
set he faced ahead, grimmer now In |
his determination to foil them.
Sight of the village ahead surprised |
Duane. He reached it sooner than he |
expected. Then he made a discovery
he had entered the zone of wire fences. |
AS he dared not turn back now, he
kept on, intending to ride through the
village. Looking backward, he saw
that his pursuers were half a mile
distant, too far to alarm any villagers
in time to intercept him in his flight.
As he rode by the first houses his
horse broke and began to labor.
Duane did not believe he would last
long enough to go through the village.
Saddled horses in front of store
gave Duane an idea, not by any means
new, and one he had carried out sue
cessfully before. As he pulled in his
heuving mount and leaped off, couple
Of ranchers came out of the place, and
one of them stepped to a clean-Iimbed,
fiery bay. He was about to get into
his saddle when he saw Duane, and
then he halted, a foot in the stirrup.
Duane strobe Coward, grasped the
bride of this mans horse.
Mines done-but not killed." he
painted Trade with me-"
wal stranger, I'm shore always
ready to trade" drawled the man.
But amt you little swift?'
Duane glanced back up the road
His pursuers We're entering the village
Pm Duane-Buck Duane" he cried
nenucugly. "Will you trade? Hurry
The raucher, turned white, dropped
MS foot from the stirrup and fell back
Il reckon III trade" he said.
Bounding up Duane dug spurs into |
he bays TANKS. The horse snorted
n fright, plunged into a run. lie was
rcSh, swift, half Wild Duane flashed !
~ the remaining houses on the street
nut into the Open But the road ended
It that village or else led out from {
,ome otlrer quarter, for he had ridden
,truight into the fields and from them {
nto rough desert. When he reached ! {
he cover of mesquite once more he {
ooked back TO find six horsemen with
u rifle shot Of him, and more coming I
,ehind them.
His new horse had not had time to
.et warm before Duane reached high
andy blum below which lay the willow n
.rakes. As far as he could see extend :
ii an immense Hat strip or red-tlnged +
lillow. How welcome it was to his 7
we! He felt like a hunted wolf that. n
weary and lame, had reached his hole +
n the rocks. Zigzagging down the n
oft slope, he put the bay to the dense 7
vail of leaf and branch. But the ii
orse baked. n
There was little time to lose. Dis 3
counting he dragged the stubborn i
east into the thicket. This was n
arder and slower work than Duane h
.,,.,I -, ,.ggly II a., I. 4 49, -. 80