Year: 1861

We pushed, over hill aud valley, across
streams and ravines, in headlong flight,
pursuers and pursued.


The timber which marked the camp
grew more and more distinct; now for
moment more concealed by an intervening
hill, ,-and again as we few over its sum
init, rising nearer and clearer to view
My horse was rapidly failing. Great
flakes of foam few from his mouth. Gov
cred with mud and drenched with sweat,
he still, however, toiled gallantly onward,
spurning the sod Of the prairie with his
flying hoofs. But the goal was nearly
won. OH if he could hold out little
longer! The tireless mustangs Of the In
dians, no match for the fleet limbs in
short stretch, exhibited their wonderful
powers of endurance. Onward they
swept after us with undiminished speed,
their unshorn names and sweeping tails
nlingling with the flowing drapery Of tho
wild riders and flying out upon the wind


The timber banks of the "Little Blue"
which L had so eagerly longed for, had
for some moments been concealed by
long but gently swelling ascent, the sum
NIT of which was approaching. If.fron
here the white wagons of our camp should
be visible over the uninterrupted plain, /
should yet reach them. =


But, OIL if another of these intermin-
able ridges should intervenel My poor
horse was on his last legs. But to perish
in sight of safety, to be taken in view of
the camp by these implacable savagesl-
My brain tcemed with these msddening
doubts as neared the spot which was to
decide my fate, and trembledwith eager
ness for the viewwhich might consign me
to despair n ha sia


/ ncarcd the summit; another bound
and we went over, and flying with hut-
tering steps down long, gentle inclina
tion which swept away in gentle undula
tons to the longed- for timber, still about
mile ahead. strained my eyes for in
dications of comrades; and, oh! rapture
unspeakablel far away, but directly be-
fore me, nesting at the base of the long,
dark line of cottonwood, loomed up the
white circle Of tents and wagon tops
dearer to my longing gaze than to the
desert-worn pilgrim the loftyminarets and
marble palaces of Eastern story.


q A shout of triumph and exultation
burst from my lips as / discovered the
welcome scene and recognized the gate
of my deliverance. looked backbone
after another Of the savages came bound
ing over the ridge, pressing on with the
Wild fury of disappointed rage. But their
practiced eyes were not slow to discover
my refuge, and one after another pulled
up his painting steed and gazcd with baf-
fed malignity after their expected victim,


But was saved Covered with foam
and sweat my gallant preserver burstinto
camp, and, as / sprang from the saddle
into the midst of my startled comrades,
with groan of exhaustion he sank quiv-
ering TO the earth. The faithful crea-
ture had toiled to tho last he had done
his best, his powers were exhausted, and
yielding at last to utter prostration, he
stretched his weary limbs upon the sward,
and l thought that the last race of my
gallant gray was run. How i nursed him
through the long night, how covered
him with my share of blankets and sup
piled him carefully and cautiously with
grass and water, how / trudgcd along on
foot, day after day for the next two weeks,
and cherished him like feeble child L
have not time to tell; but although many
a mile he carried me in after days over
those dreary deserts, never again did he
run an eight.mile steeple.chase against
the field, with fifty untamed coursers of
the desert for his competitors, and fifty
painted warriors yelling in his rear.--Er-
change.