Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-07-27

that I feared from them was delay.
They knew I was not the man they
wanted and were themselves there to
uphold their idea of the law and hu-
man justice in their fierce, crude way.
They might attempt to take me back
with them-the II thing that l really
dreaded-but of personal violence l had
no fear. My government position would
again protect me, and whatever time
they hindered me Jack would also gain
from them.
As we approached / got the hating
signal, but the little mare rushed
ahead, alike unmindful of their shout
ing and my hand. Two men dismount-
ed hurriedly and made a rush for my
bride as we passed. In a flash Coren-
cas- fighting blood was up, and, with
crashing teeth and eyes like a drag
on's, she was upon and over them and
dashed ahead. A dozen mounted men
spurred after us with the act. They
might as well have chased the wind,
for the very dust from the little mares
feet fell short of their leader. They
dared not shoot lest Uncle Sam should
hear the echo presently and only vast
ed a little time for Jack to profit by.
Once clear Of pursuit Corenca fell off
a little in her speed, but not In her In
dependence, as l quickly learned in my
first attempt to juggle with the reins.
After all. why should l not let her have
her way now that no special cause for
speed bursts lay ahead? She was q
willful child of the plains. Let her
sweep them to suit her fancy. She
would lose no time and perhaps, better
than l, could judge of her own endur-
ance. So we left the dubious miles be-
hind us In pursuit of the miles ahead
that she rapidly found and conquered
one by one. Sometimes the pace was q
moderate canter, sometimes swift as
the wind, but | watched the TANKS be-
meath me in vain for a labored breath.
She seemed to temper her speed to the
limit of what she could endure without
drawing upon that wonderful reserve
force that made her at once the pride
and the terror Of the plains.
So thirty odd miles lay behind us
presently, and the game little beast
had drawn up only once for a drink as
she forded a stream. Still, more than
one sign nov told me that she had
made her run at an awful expense to
herself. Once she began to show ia
tigue 1t seemed as IL her dissolution
was to be as rapid as her flight had
been. The wiIlful fiirt of her head h
had left miles behind, and she STUN
bled q little sometimes as she still gal
Ioped faithfully on. Each breath was
a heave and a gasp now, and the white
foam that fell from her mouth was oc-
~casionally colored with red. Should l
dismount and feed her or try to crowd
her through Back among the noun
tain I could see a kindly, rug
ged face, now stern and resolute, at
bay. Before me, only a few miles
ahead. lay Halseyville and rescue. AL
ready l could almost see the stately
mayor and q few chosen friends rush.
ing away on their Grand of mercy and
Justice. Nor could | quite forget the
sweet faced girl, in whose eye a tear
had stood SO close behind the laugh b
had given Jack at parting. And 1t all
tempted me forward. Still, it would De
a foolish thing to ruin all so near my
journeys end by letting my now suf-
fering horse go off from her feet for
want of a few minutes rest.
Corenca stood quiet enough now,
with head down and heaying sides, but
with the fire still ~unquenched in her
flashing eyes. Reluctantly l dismount-
ed and loosened the saddle girth a lit
tie. Then a sight met my eyes that
stayed my hand at the ~fastenings while
| looked again, to bring me a moment
later back into my seat. For the first
time that day | urged Corenca beyond
the limit of her chosen speed, and right
nobly did she struggle to respond. But
the heaving sides told their own story
of a conquered body still Keeling for
ward under the impetus of an unyield-
ing will. Poor, faithful servant! 1t
was. then, to be a race to the death
of my horse or my friend-and In that
choice of course the dumb brute had
to lose.
NOW lndI tilC dCSloAOAA pCCh ~
ed upon me | spared the use of neither
whip nor spur upon Corenca-Corenca,
to whom no one had ever before dared
to teach the use of either. No more
thought of trying to save her-just to
get the last ounce out of her before she
fell. Far ahead, just leaving Halsey-
vile, l could see a queer little red spot
rushing toward us, which 1 realized to
be the mayors automobile, bearing him
rapidly away tooa ne~ighboring town.
For a few miles his route lay straight
toward me, but presently the road
forked, and the red spot would bear
out of reach the n man whose pres
ence would awe Jacks pursuers into
submission at a word. If / could reach
those forks in time it would save me a
smart little ride to the town. If l failed
I feared me much that all my efforts
were doomed to failure-that the game