Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-12-28


TO tell him that they were fast and
hard-riding cowboys in a land where
all riders are good. They would not
have owned any but strong, swift
horses. Moreover, it was a district
where rancherS had suffered beyond
all endurance the greed and brutality
OF outlaws. Duane had simply been so
unfortunate as to run right into a
lynching party at a time of all times
when any stranger would be in danger
and any outlaw put TO his limit to
escape with his life.
Duane did not look back again till
he had crossed the ridgy piece of
ground and had gotten to the level
road. He had gained upon his pur-
SuerS. When he ascertained this he
tried to save his horse, TO check d little
that killing gait. This horse was a
magnificent animal, big, strong, fast;
but his endurance had never been put
to grueling test. And that worried
Duane. His life had made it i'm
possible to keep one horse very long
at a time, and this one was an IN
known quantity.
Duane had only one plan-the only
plan possible in this case-and that
was TO make the riyer-bottoms, where
he might elude his pursuers in the
willow brakes. Fifteen miles or so
would bring him to the river, and this
was not a hopeless distance for any
good horse if not too closely pressed
He began to hope and look for trail
or road turning off to right or left.
There was none. A rough, mesquite
dotted and yucca-spired country ex-
tended away on either side. Duane
believed that he would be compelled to
take to this hard going One thing
was certain-he had to go round the
village. The river, however, was on
the outskirts of the village; and once
in the willows, he would be safe.
Dust-clouds far ahead caused his
alarm to grow. He watched with his
eyes strained; he hoped to see a
wagon, few stray cattle. But no,
he soon deserted several hOrsemen.
Shots and yells behind him attested
to the fact that his pursuers likewise
had seen these newcomers on the scene.
More than a mile separated these two
parties, yet that distance did not keep
them from soon understanding each
other. Duane waited only to see this
new factor show signs of sudden quick
action, and then, with Il muttered
curse, he spuTed his horse off 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 to 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 say 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 q 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 thickets that almost
tore Duane from his saddle. Some
thing weighty 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 MIN? 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 a 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
Looping along in his rear. He paid no
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 a store