Year: 1879

I hAo AOIHG1 u0AU.
plunged up the road.


He could plainly distinguish ban.
dts now as they were moving 10.
ward the house.


He had ridden about half a mile
when the Mexican band got SIGHT
of him. They immediately " chang.
ed their course, not directly to-
ward him, but so as TO interoept
him about midway between the set
tiers home and camp.


The Colonel understood their
movement, and knew they had a
shorter distance to ride. For a
moment he hesitated and looked
back; but in that instant he decided
to move forward, for he saw several
stragglers of the band had already
reached the house.


"My horse is faster than theira.~
he muttered, land that is my only
hope. Now, Hero" said he to tho
thoroughbred, as he patted tic
horses arched neck, "you have
hard ride before you. Now, do
your level best, old boy"


The horse seemed to understand,
for he pricked up his ears and
shook his head as if eager for the
race.


"Now, my little girl, put your
arms about me and hold on tight.
You are not afraid, are your"


"No, not with you," she replied,
as she looked up in the young fell
lows handsome face.


The next moment the horse was
flying at a rapid rate. The bandits
saw 1T, and with wild yell urged
their horses at full speed.


Rapidly they shortened the dis
tance between them until they were
not more than mile and a half
apart The young officer saw 1t
was a critical moment. He glanced
toward the camp; he saw the way
ons had already arrived, and the
soldiers we're out in front of the
tents eagerly watching the race.


He grasped the little girls waist
till he hurt her; then bracing him
self in the stirrups, he gave a wild
yell at the horse. The animal
sprang into the air, aud the next
moment it was aying over the
plains at such rate that one mis-
step would have been fatal.


Each moment they came nearer
together; the Colonel was gaining
rapidly on them, but he had a
much longer distance to ride.


The excitement among the sol
diers iii front of the tents grew in
tense as each moment brought
them nearer and nearer. A death
like silence fell upon the men as
the critical moment drew near.


"He is lost" said one OF the 8 u
diers.


"Yes, it is all over with him." re-
peated another.


A tear stood in many an eye; for
the Colonel was a favorite with
them all.


Look lookr cried several of
the men.


Yes, look! When the bandits
were almost upon him, the horse
suddenly gave a splendid burst Of
speed worthy Of his blood. lie
was down TO his work at last


The next moment both parties
leaped into the hollow that lay be
tween and the camp, a9i were lost
to view.


Silently the soldiers watched the
hollow. They knew It was now a
question of life and death, and Gag
erly, almost breathlossly, they
watched the result.


The next moment the Colonel
came full in view from the hollow.
A low cheer almost involuntarily
burst from the men; but IL soon
subsidized, for it was now the para.
mount moment He was passing
the Mexicans at about seventy
yards. They raised their guns and
fired.


Did he reel or fall? No; he was
still firmly seated in the saddle.


A loud cheer broke from the sol
diers that rang far over the plains.
The band gave chase, but rapidly
he widened the distance between
them.


"The Colonel's SAFE" cried tho
men; but he was not.


He was rapidly approaching
growth Of willows near a pool OF
water, when suddenly a mounted
Mexican, armed with a revolver.
sprang from behind him. IL look.
ed as If he had escaped one danger
but to fall into another. He had
no chance TO defend himself. One
arm was about the girl, with the
other he had to grasp the bride;
and, even if he could use it, he
could not get at his revolver. II be
laid the child on the ground, before
he could defend himself and get
her again, the bandits would be
upon him. So he concluded %
press onward.


The villain rushed toward him,
exclaiming as he raised the pistol
and took aim:


"AL fin Sc cdHta la gloria" (boa3t
not till the victory is won.)


At that moment there was low
report, scarcely audible for the dis.
tance, and the Mexican reeled in
his saddle and fell to the earth.


The Colonel looked ahead Of him,
and there, fully half a mile away,
stood a tall Kentuckian grasping a
rife which he had just discharged.
The Colonel pushed on, and as be
passed the soldier the latter said:


81 rather guess / fetched HIM,
Colonel"


"Yes; it was a splendid shot. Go
into camp. You will be a corporal
when you get there"


"a corporal" muttered the tall
"Mighty lucky shot
that. Didn't expect TO be a corpor-
al for a year yet"


In few moments more the Colo
mel plunged into camp amid a wild
yell OF cheers and a discharge from
the battery, which rolled over the
plains and across the river into Mex
leo, and announcing that the Colonel
had won the race.


-~ee-


[4l Many persons say 81 haven't got
the Consumption" when asked 10 cure
their Coughs with Shiloh's Consump-
ton cure. Do they not know that
coughs lead TO Consumption, and


HN