THE TEXAN HUNTRESS. 289 



tails Stuck straight in air, go lumber away over the shakino- 

 plain — but nothing like human form appeared. The first 

 madness had passed ofi"— the instinct of the love of life had 

 assumed its place, and the blurred vision had become intensi- 

 fied by the sharpening apprehension which the physical 

 brought, of thirst, hunger and exhaustion. 



I saw objects clearly now. Every line in the horizon was 

 distinctly defined, and conveyed to me a sort of hope. All 

 things, indeed, took their relations again, and I was unfright- 

 ened into calm. I knew my danger, in detail, and saw every 

 blade of grass that marked my way towards — what ? I heard 

 the odd ejaculation of the long-necked blue cranes explode 

 upon the silence like a distant pistol shot — I saw the flowers 

 bend, and the meadow lark, with its dark feather-heart out- 

 side its musical breast, bound up from the grass with its low 

 fluttering flight, to sing on wing most sweetly, of all joy, 

 though filled with fear. The very sand rat that had darted 

 with a faint squeak to its hole, I saw peep forth again as I 

 went past, so minutely did my vision take in everything now. 



I had ridden on for several hours, the country at each 

 moment becoming still more strange. There were no objects 

 in which I could detect the slightest degree of familiarity — 

 my horse was beginning to fail, and dreading lest he would 

 give out beneath me, I reined him up. This would, indeed, 

 be a fate too terrible to contemplate — being left on foot in 

 the midst of these great plains ! I got down and stroked his 

 panting sides and walked with him for an hour, until he 

 seemed to be regaining his strength somewhat, for the morn- 

 ing's work had been tremendous, as I in my unreckino' 

 despair, had kept him urged to nearly the top of his speed 

 during this foolish ride. Fortunately, he was one of those 

 game and indomitable horses formed by crossfng the mustang, 

 which is an Arab, upon the larger-boned Northern horse, or 

 lie could never have sui'vived such a run. 



19 



