Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-12-08

savodps
Jimmy Keep up! I'll hev him in ten
seconds.
The baw were sgdn refined in quickly.
for there vas m1s 10 the road before
them.
Hold the reins. mother ~ shouted old
Crsw6Gd, - be spulng to the gTousd.
.MasA- Is Il ycus Are yOa nsch burned
Can you speak ?'
He might we'll ask him who he was,
under TIE thick dusting Of SCOT and ashes
that covered him from head TO loot.
At that moment there was a low cry
behind old Crawford, and the form Of his
daughter darted past him.
Marsh? Oh. Marsh. why won't you
speak to me %
Her white hands were on his shoulders,
and her streaming eyes were studying his
facs. but there was color again in her own.
now.
lin al right. Virginia. but I'm afraid
there's nothing left Of your place. l took
your mare and the other horses out into
the wheat field. She's SAFE
you've been caring for ms? Risking
your own life for US! Oh, Marsh. are you
hurt ?"
Not much. reckon. Burned on my
hands = little,-thzt's all. Have TO get .
new pair of boots
Yes, and new hat and coat and his
hair, beard, and eyebrows had suffered.
and the CrawfOrds would find some heaps
re ashes where they had left so fair
home. But what of that. What was any
such loss, compared to the treasure which
had come TO Virginia through the wall Of
smoke and fire. or to the one Marshall
Hayne had found at the end Of his desper-
ate rush Tor life!
"Git into the buggy, Marsh. He won't
need no help, jimmy. Did YOU say you'd
saved the critteis?"
"Reckon they're all right, but didn't
get anything out Of the house. You'd
better take the road to mine, at the forks.
We put in all day. yesterday. back
firing"
That's what | ought to have done.
'steaA Of going 10 town."
There was a great deal of silence during
the short remainder of that drive; but old
Crawford followed his young neighbours
advice, for the right-hand road, at the
forks, would nave led him into hotter
country than his horses would have been
willing to travel.
Before long, they could all see the great
blaze, which went up from house and
barns and corn cribs and stacks of wheat
The land won't burn" said the brave |
old man, almost cheerily. ''Glad the |
stock Is safe. That was good Of YOU.
Marsh. don't owe cent, and it won't
break me up. Glad your place isn't hurt /;
but you had close call Of it yourself"
He heard a very long breath drawn at
that moment by somebody upon the back
seat OF the buggy.
At the door Of the new house they all
got soberly down. and Mrs. Crawford
walked straight to the door and through |
it. Her husband stayed to care for his
over-excited team, but Marshall Hayne
aud Virginia were inst little behind her.
when she reached the threshold.
why. dear me ~ exclaimed the old
lady. Its nigh almost furnished! It's
real comfortable ~
Perhaps it was mere curiosity that hur-
ried her onward so quickly, then out of
hearing. although some experienced
women are very wise.
viii you 60 in. Virginia."
II? Marsh"
with me, mean.--Virgnia ?''
lie passed the threshold as he spoke,
and there he stood. holding out both |
hands. half-welcoming. half-pleading.
Forever and ever. Marshr'
II, few minutes later. old Mrs. Craw-
ford meant any more than she said. there |
may have been some reason for the high |
color in her daughters face, for part of
the added tint was dusky:
Marsh. you'd better git clothes
brush and some soap and water. de-
clare! Virginny, you almost look as if
you'd been through fire yourself"
The further domestic arrangements of
Marshall Haynes new house were COM
pleted a good while before the first
snow" although the winter set in early
that year.
He did not board with the Bitters family
another day. but it was only week or
so. after the fire had done its work that
Celebrity remarked to Hank Sanders
mo, sir. I'm gwine to foller jimmy
Crawford Not till you've took some
kind of crop of that land o. yours, an
put house onto it,"
nvpar;oocoJ truraloy ss'rha moSt