Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-07-26

HIM probably from certain death. Like
/. the wind his slcet stecd went down the
long hill.
, Duane was in no hurry to look back.
He knew what to expect His chief con-
Germ OF the was for his injured
arm. He Oun that the bones were still
; intact; but the wound, having been
made by a soft bullet. was an exceed
ingly bad one. Blood poured from 1T
Giving the horse his head, Duane wound
mis- scarf tightly round the holes, and
with teeth and han tied it tightly. That
done, he looked back over his shoulder.
Riders We're making the dust fly on
the hillside road. There were more COM
ing round the cut where the road curry
ed. The leader was perhaps IL quarter
OF a mile back. and the Others strung
out behind him. Duane needed only one
glance To tell him that they were fast
and hard-riding cowboys in Il land
where All riders were 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 UNI
fortunate as to run right into Il lynch
ing party at a time of all times when
any stranger would be in danger. and
amy outlaw put to his limit to escape
with his life.
Duane did not look back again until
he had crossed the ridgy piece of
ground and had gotten to the level
road. He had gained upon his pursuers.
When he ascertained this he tried to
save his horse. to check a little that
Killing gait. This horse was a magnifi-
cent animal. big. strong. fast: but his
endurance had never been put to a
gruelling test. And that worried Duane.
His life had made is impossible to keep
one morse very long at a time, and this
one was an quantity.
duane had only one plan-the only
plan possible i'm this case-and that was
to make the river bottoms. where he
might elude his pursucrs in the willow
trakes. Fifteen miles or so would bring
nm to the river. n this was not a
hopeless distance for any good horse if
not too closely pressed. Duane conclud-
cd presently that the cowboys behind
were losing a little in chase because
they We're not extending tlleir horses. 1t
was decidedly unusual for such riders
10 save their u Duane pondered
over tins. looking back several times to
see II their horses were stretched out.
Ihey were not. and h fact was dis
!urDlng. only one reason presented
ltselr TO Unane's conjecturing, and it
was n with him headed straight on
1hat road his pursuers were satisfied
not to force the running. He began to
hope to look for a trail or a road turn
ing of to right or left. There was none.
O"cAA lIlu yucca.
splred country extended 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-c,ouds far ahead caused his
alarm 10 grow. He watched with his
;eyes stratned: lie hoped to see a wagon,
a few stray cate. Shots and yells be-
mind him attestcd to the fact that his
persuers likewise had seen these new
corners GA the scene. More than Il mile
separated these two parties, yet this
distance did not keep them from soon
understanding each other. Duane
waited on'y to see his new factor show
Sims CT sudden quick action. and then,
With Il mattered curse. he spurred his
horse off the Dad into the brush.
lie chose the right side. because the
river lay nearest that way. There were
patches OF open sandy ground between
clunips OF cactus II mesquite. and he
round that despite n Zigzag course he
made better time. 1t was impossible for
aim to locate his Dursuers. They would
come together. he decided. and take
to his tracks.
What. then. was his surprise and dis
may to run out OF a thicket right into a
low ridge or rough. broken rock. impos-
sible to get a horse over He Wheeled to
the left along it's base. The sandy
ground gave place. to II harder soil,
where his. horse did not labor so. Here
the growths OF mesquite and cactus be-
came scanter. affording better travel
but DOR cover. He kept sharp eyes
ahead. and. as he had expected. soon
saw moving lust-clouds and the dark
figures of horses. They were half q
mile away. and swinging o%bliquely
across the flat. which fac proved that
they had entertained a fair idea Of the
country II the fugitive's difficulty.
Without an instant's hesitation
Duane put his horse to his best efforts,
straight ahead He had to pass those
men. When this was seemingly made
impossible by a deep wash from Which
he had to turn. Duane began to feel
cold and sick. Was this the end? AL
ways there a to be an end to an out
laws career. He wanted then to ride
straight at these p%ursuers. But reason.
outweighed instinct. He was fleeing
for his life! nevertheless. the strongest
instinct at the time was his desire to
fight.
He knew when these three horsemen
saw him. and a moment afterward he
lost sight of them as he got into the
ito reach the road, and pushed his
mount severely, though still saving
him for a final burst. Rocks. thickets.
punches OF cactus. Washes-all Oper-
ated against his following q straight
lines Almost he lost his bearings, 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.
HarAs he saw both groups OF pursuers.
one isDnE each side and almost within
guinshot. Their sharp yells. as much
~ his cruel spurs. drove his horse into
that pace which now moan life or
death for him. And never had Duane
bestrode q gamer. sWifter. stancher
beast. He seemed about to accomplish