Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1881-11-16

tEe fOau, as ne gallOped away.
"Gone? What did I say p
She sank upon a chair, and the very
dusk faded gloomily out of the little par
lor. Her struggle against the over
mastery of Marshall Haynes will had ap-
parently cost her something.
Neither old Mr.. Crawford nor his wife
knew anything more concerning their
young neighbours evening call than that
it seemed somewhat shortened one. It
had been quite plain that he had had yet
another errand sup the road" They
knew that by The rapid gait which he
rode away.
Virginia was well satisfied to spend
the following day in town." and even
that her fathers business at last COM
PEELED them all to remain there over
night. When, however, on the next
day, they set out for home, she was con-
scious OF feeling of uneasiness, which
increased with every mile they travelled
Her father seemed to share it with her,
but she understood that better when he
at last remarked
"They do say the prairie was all
atire here-away, last night. You can
see the smoke of it now. Reckon it
didn't git across the slough. It couldn't,
onless thar was high wind; but then
the winds risin', and it's a-blowin' the
wrong way, to suit me-"
/ Meantime it had been great relief to
Marshall Hayne to have large job on
his handsome he could push along
feverishly, so we can get at work at the
corn shucking."
There is some excitement in s'back-
firing" even when you feel sure the
blazes you are kindllng cannot get away
from you.
/ There were three broad burrows along
the northeast fence, and four more along
the outer border of the en-yard strip of
prairie SO inclosed, to be burned over.
The grass on this, while pretty dry. was
nowhere very luxuriant, and before the
work was done, with no harm to any,
body, and fine opportunity given Hank
Sanders to "beat fire" at the side of
Celebrity Sanders. An average width of
fifty feet of scorched sod and bare earth
and high rail fence now protected the
entire easterly front of Marshall
Haynes farm, and in all other direc-
tions it was fairly safe, for other rea-
sons. The scant blowing of Bitters'
could be trusted to guard the log house
and it's surroundings.
The night after was q bad one for
sleeping, if only because of the strong
smell OF burning grass continually
pouring In through open windows. 1t
grew SO terribly pungent by sunrise,
that Marshall Hayne exclaimed, as he
| spranp ont of bed
It's coming There's no mistake
about it, this time"
A little later he remarked:
Wonder If old man Crawford's got
home? [ reckon he has. I won't wait
for breakfast. I'll go right over and see
about it. She won't De thar" If she
is, I'll know in time to keep away"
He did not wait to saddle horse. but
walked swiftly away from Bitters with
out saying word to soul.
On he went with quickening strides to
and through his own domain. He stop
ped for one moment in front of the neat,
but, as yet, implanted farm dwelling.
There was patch of young fruit trees to
the left of it. There were signs around
it of more improvements to come, and 1t
had dumb look of loneliness which
seemed to plead for human occupancy.
He shook his head
emo. I won't be fool. It shall stay
there, but I'll never put my foot over
the threshold. They say there are good
| locations to be had in Kansas. I'd rath-
er go further--Nevada, now :? Colorado ?"
On again until he was near enough to
Crawford's to make sure that there was
no smoke arising from the kitchen Chin
ney. There was, however, an abundance
of smoke floating down from the north
and east, and he muttered, gloomily:
g Into the house? No, 1 don't feel
like doing that; but I'll see that the stock
is safe. TIL tether every horse out in
the winter wheat. That's green enough.
The horned critters'n run for the timber
and the hogs are thar now. I couldn't
do much for anything else, and 1t may
not reach the house. No, I reckon I
won't go in."
It required some little time to empty
the stables and transfer their equine
contents to the middle of the wheat
field. Virginia Crawford's pet mare was
particularly FESTIVE under the kindly
hands that led her away. She may have
suspected that Marshall Hayne was
stealing her.
The haze in the air seemed somehow
to have settled upon his soul by the time
his seIf-imposed task was completed.
He moved more slowly than at first, and
his head dropped forward in brooding
silence. He kept to his purpose, how
ever, about not entering the house, and
now, as if it were a neighborhood to es-
cape from, he walked across the prairie
letting his undirected feet carry him
vaguely northward.
The first words he spoke came from
him when, after wandering half mile or
| SO, he found himself in deep, tree-bor-
dered, winding hollow, that was almost
a ravine:
''The slough? declared I'd no idea
it was dead dry. The rosin weeds, too.
Never saw 'em taller. If a fire should
once getin here, now, wouldn't it burn !"
! There could be small doubt of it, for
| the white gum which exI1ded from the