The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-11-18

l
long minute Of horri6ed silence, whom tn
staGkering form Of man burst through tn
nearer limo OF smoke, and . pair OF arms wef(
thrown wildly upward, Is II their owner min,
Rle2 . word OF thanksgiving with his first
ga of breathable sir. He needed more ail
and fresher, and he once again hurried for.
ward.
The bays were sudd MY dashed to gaIlop
just a. Virginia Crawford family muttered:
"ts that Marshl Oh, mother, IL he savedP'
"Jinny! Keep up! III hev him in ten &C.
The bays were again refined in. quickly, fol
there was . man In the road before them.
"Hold the reins, mother!' shouted old
Crawford, - he sprang to the ground.
marsh, is It youi Are You much burned!
Can you speaki''
He might well ask him who he was, under
the thick busting OF SCOT and ashes that COW
cred him from head to foot.
At that moment there was low cry behind
old Craw ord, and the form Of his daughter
darted past him.
''Marshs o. Marsh, why won't you speak
to me!''
Her white hands were on his shoulders, and
her streaming eyes were studying his face, but
there was color again in her own, now.
"I'm all right, Virginia, but I'm afraid
mare and the other horses out into the wheat
field. She's SAFE"
you've been caring for usl Risking your
life for us! o, Marsh, are you hurtl"
Not much, reckon. Burned on my hands
. little-that all. Have t. get new pair Of
boots.''
Yes, and new hat and coat; and his hair,
beard and eyebrows had sufferd and the Craw.
fOrjs would find only heaps of ashes where
they had left so fair q home. But what Of all
that! What was any such loss, compared to
the treasure which had come to Virginia
81 h 81 - a.. a. A.
one Marshall Hayne had found at the end Of
his desperate rush for lite!
"Git into the buggy, Marsh. He won't
need no help; jimmy. Did you say you'd saved
'sReckon they're all right, but di Int 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, stead
OF goin to town."
There was great deal of silence during the
short remainder of that drive; but old Craw-
ford followed his young neighbours advice, for
the right hand road, at the forks, would have
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.
AboG W 10 SOOu Va SOus 2OoiSu. uOu OWC =
cent, and it won't break me up. Glad your
place isn't hurt; but you had close call Of it
yourself"
He heard q very long breath drawn at that
moment by somebody upon the back seat of
the buggy.
soberly down, and Mrs. Crawford walked
straight to the door and through 1t. Her huS-
band stayed to care for his over excited team,
but Marshall Hayne and Virginia were just q
little behind her when she reached the thresh-
old.
"Why, dear mer' exclaimed the old lady.
sIt's nigh Almost furnished! It's real COM
fortable!''
Perhaps it was mere curiosity that carried
her on SO quickly, then, out Of hearing, al
though some experienced women are very
wise.
evil you go in, Virginia!''
81? Marsh!"
"With me, I mean-Virginis!"
He passed the threshold as he spoke and
there he stood, holding out both hands, half
welcoming, half pleading.
Forever and ever, Marshn'
If, few moments later. old Mrs. Crawford
meant any m re 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. l declare! Virgin
ny, you almost look as if you'd been through
fire YOURSELF
The further domestic arrangements of
Marshall HAYNES new house were completed
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 re-
marked to Hank Sanders:
No, sir! I'm gwine to foller jimmy Craw-
ford. Not till you've took some kind of q
crap of that land o. yours, and put house
onto it."-W. o. Stodd1rd, is Aadntic Monthly.