Emerson's Wife and Other Western Stories — John Shaqi
Emerson's Wife and Other Western StoriesKelly, Florence Finch
General
Emerson's Wife and Other Western Stories
Kelly, Florence Finch
Western stories
"I believe we can make it!" exclaimed Wemple, as they heard the engine's
announcing scream. Apparently their pursuers guessed what the fugitives
would try to do, for as they saw the train they shouted and yelled louder
than before and urged their ponies to a still higher speed. They gained
rapidly for a little while, for the Lieutenant's horse was beginning to
flag, and Wemple, leaning to one side, gave the bridle into Barbara's
hands and, with left arm dangling useless, reached for his revolver. He
began to fear that they might yet head him off and surround him. They
outnumbered him hopelessly, but he would try to fight his way through
them. If worst came to worst,--he would save two shots out of the
six,--Barbara should not fall into their hands.
The train drew into the station and the Indians were not more than a
hundred feet behind him. The horse's faltering gait and heaving sides
showed that he had reached almost his limit of strength. Some dogs ran
out from a house, barking furiously. But being in his rear they only
made Wemple's horse quicken his pace. They darted at the heads of the
ponies, which shied and pranced about, and so lost to their riders some
valuable seconds.
The train was already moving as Wemple dashed up to its hindmost car, his
horse staggering and their pursuers almost upon them.
"Jump for the car-steps!" he shouted to Barbara. She had not leaped and
clambered up and down the stair in the Acoma cliff all her life for
nothing, and her strength and agility stood her in good stead in this
moment of supreme necessity. She leaped from the horse's back, landed
upon the upper step, and whirled about to assist her lover.
The train was moving faster, the Indians, with shouts and yells and
curses, were grasping at his bridle, and Wemple felt his horse giving way
beneath him. With a last encouraging call to the poor beast he urged it
to one more leap, and as it brought him again even with the end of the
car he threw his leg over its neck and jumped. The horse staggered and
fell as he left the saddle and caused him to lose his balance. He went
down upon the car-steps, his wounded left arm beside him and his right
doubled beneath his body. In another instant he would have rolled back
to the ground beneath the hoofs of the Indian ponies, but Barbara seized
him by the shoulders, and held him until he recovered his footing.
The Indians, seeing his predicament, whipped up their horses and galloped
beside the platform, reviling and jeering at him. Wemple scrambled to
his feet and put his arm about Barbara, as though fearful they might yet
try to take her from him. She leaned over the rail, laughed in their
faces, and called out, in the Indian tongue:
"Good-bye! Good-bye, forever! Now I shall be a white woman!"
THE KID OF APACHE TEJU
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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