Year: 1878

my own, which had been retained
.by the hostler at the inn, among
them-were hitched on the otheI
side, where moonlight, striking by
the end Of the cabin, rested fully
upon them. 1t was suicide to at
tempt seiling one of them-my owr
as / had hoped to do-and riding of
SO | embraced the only alternative
leaping from the barrel (the tub hav
ing been removed to water the horses
WITH and creeping into the wagon
AS I did so the woman muttereC
something about covering the coffin


Dick yelled out to her to mind hel
business and let the thing alone.


But shesucceededin accomplishing
her purpose. Disposing the blanket
across the coffin, as he was beginning
to drive away, she contrived to lift
its lid and drop inside bowie knife


You may be sure l seized it heart
lily and gave her a blessing too, poor
thing; and the first use l made of il
was to lift the lid up just a fraction
so that my breathing was easy though
my position was cramped.


They kept within hailing distance
for some three or four miles, Dick
driving the heavy wagon along at q
Esteaming pace, and expected the
coffin would be jostled out.


By and by there was a sudden
shout, a loud "tally-ho," as if the
huntsmen had sighted the quarry
Itcame from the gang.
/ No sooner was the noise heard
than my driver threw the reins
across the horse, leaped down and
started off toward his friends. Per
haps the temptation of the money
Chat they might be then dividing)
was too much for him.


In a moment l sprang from the
coffin to the ground and had severed
the traces and the rude bands of the
harness.


1 mounted the horse and urged
him onwards.


All might have been well had not
the quick ears of the men caught the
echo Of his footsteps.


Looking round they saw me max
ing off-and l think must have
known me, for was lighted up BY
the bright moonlight,


With wild shout they came on
5 'air,fs1.:s'siaSs ~ sharp .te-
! tport Of two rifles. felt a sting in
my foot, another in my shoulder but
the horse was unframed, and the
race for life began.


The issue, l knew, would rest
chiefly with the horses,


knew nothing of the one which
l rode; l knew nothing of those who
were pursuing me, excepting my
own horse.


On, and on, and on, my steed bore
ahead, actually causing me to gasp
for breath; and not two hundred
yards in the rear rode those would
be assassins.


A momentary dizziness threw me
forward on my horses neck. Wheth'
er l should have yielded to the faint
ness, l know not, but a distant sound
broke upon my ear and brought Inc
up.


Oh, it was good, that sound!-but
l was not quite sure yet. l broke
into the long, fierce yell of the Dor
der rangers, and sped on again; but
my horse had that peculiar twist
now and then in its gait that told
me he was faltering.


Again that echo reached me. II
was the shrill music of the fife ant
the rumble of the drums of the in
fantry, who were probably returning
to the fort from somo expedition
Again l sent out that wild cry whicl
[ knew the soldiers heard and werC
coming to my aid,


A parting shot, and my two pur
suers turned; they could not face th'
soldiers. But called my horse by
peculiar whistle that he knew AM
he came toward me in spite of tn
rider, who was Wolf, who only CAV
up the struggle and leaped from hi
back as a squad Of infantry appear
ed on the scene"
at is Wolf" l painted go il
pursuit Of him."


Thern wos no nnel IN urre then