Yellowstone Jack: Trappers of the Enchanted Ground — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

4, - : - Pr : a ~ > ¢ & » - 4 s hea? ’ 7? i ae : a's d " a : PESOS 0 ree iat i a. aa SS pet VRE aie | RRahe “9, Ge - iS 70 Sane EG Ty bei Beh ih, er . / a am “. 3 wr ' ’ . 7 d th . te " 47 As «* : * 4 r av 4 2 a de ‘ : » erates Ay: Peta » ' ae 7. oo ° : > a ae ; i tT? i ORS wh, tal. ’ : oh AT 9 *" eet ek > ; “ ae » ee Le oe Sn « 4 . YELLOWSTONE JACK. sc hBe MS OL Ts: ~<* : ‘. Th. -- the skill of its rider that avoided a fall, | would hurl the vehicle fairly against thei - where to fall would be death. Yet a gleam of reason returned to May- nard in time to prevent a fatal error. As they neared the spot where the arms of the Y merged uito the inain stem, the horse naturally hugged the right-hand wall; for that was the course he had fol- lowed in coming—he was upon the back track. Maynard glanced down. He saw that the tracks left by the dernocrat in the snow and haistones bore to the ieft, Though so rapidly filling up, there could be no doubt of this. And he wrenched -his: animal’s head around toward the upper pass. The horse stumbled anu fell to its knees, But the taut rein lifted him forcibly, and the next moment he plunged into the unknown pass. Whither did itlead ? What would be the ending of this mad, reckless chase? _ The pass was very much like the one already described, excepting that it was on @ smaller scale. The width of lovel sround between the towering steps or plateaus, was barely fifty feet, and fully one half of this was barred and choked up by the fragments of soft rock that had fallen from the cliffs. Yet, through this narrow passage the maddened horses had evidently carried the light spring waggon with its precious freight, for now, despite the driving snowstorm, Maynard could plainly distinguish the trail, he even fan- cied he could hear the thunder of iron- shod hoofs before him through the deaf- ening clamour of the raging tornado. And with hopes reviving in his bosom he urged on his terrified animal. He did not feel the icy breath of the pouderee, though it was fast stiffening his every limb. He had thought only of his loved one and her peru. He leaned impatisntly forward and sought to pierce the cloud of whirling snow. Hes could not fairly distinguish the towering cliffs that were upon either hand. In front there seemed nothing but driving snow and clattering hail- stones. ‘hen came a sudden change. Though the force of the wind seemed to increase, if anything, the hail ceased and the snowflakes became fewer. A hoarse, inarticulate ery broke from Maynard’s lips. He could now distin- guish the sleet-coated waggon. The ter- rifed horses were still fleeing at top speed, aided, rather than retarded, by the demo- crat. Ai times a fierce gust of wind save—®’ ‘horse shricks with pain, but he can do ng Seem haunches. They could not have paused in their mad career, while the tornado urged them on, and keep their feet. To fall would be almost certain destruction. - The back curtains were ee in t the force of the wind. Maynard cou just distinguish the light drapery of a woman, It was the dress worn by Ada; Dixon. See oe Minnie—where was she ?. Ho could see nothing of her. Had she been thrown out during the mad race? Had he passed. her unseen along the trail? A groan of heartrending agony burst from Maynard’s lips as the chones 5 struck him. A vision of her mangled body lying among the cruel, }se¢ed boul ders danced before his eyes. It seemed) so real, that he reeled in his saddle, tha’ rein dropped from his benumbed hand, and as his horse stumbled, the young man was cast forward upon the animal's” neck. | “Re Sere Mechanically clutching the thick mane, — Maynard slipped back in his saddle as his, horse arose. And the mad race swept on. ) Nas ‘ Help! for the love of God! Fran Ky The words came indistinctly to his ear, and he saw Ada slightly lift her heady but then a severe jolt again cast her be: neath the seat. | } co. The appeal thoroughly aroused May- nard. He saw that at least one life des ?. 3 pended upon his exertions. With a cry of encouragement he urged his horse ony A ray of hope flashed upon him. He saw that the pass ended only a few hun= dred yards ahead. Hecould distinguish alow line of something dark, it must be bushes, growing upon the open ground beyond. hee, Then a fierce blast of wind drives t snow-cloud aside. A ery of horror bursts from his lips. He draws his knife and mercilessly pricks his horse. Death—a horrible death yawns before the runaways and their helpless freight. The bushes” are tree-tops, whose trunks are hidden” from view! They grow ina ravine, or upon the sides a fathomless canyon. And” the terror-blinded animals plunge furious- ly toward it! He thrusts his knife deep into his horse’s hip, and leaves it rankling in tha wound as he draws his revolver, sy it Eomicboo ‘Ss.-com ai ak é Ve i as