St. Landry democrat., 1883-08-18

were flying over, uttering distressed
cries. The air was full OF smoke and
burnt grass, and the cracking of the
flames could plainly be heard. 1t was
a trying moment. The increased roar
of the advancing fire warned Indy
that she had but very little time in
which to complete the circle around
house and barn; still, if she hurried too
much, she would lose control of the
fire she had started, and with it all hope
of safety.
The heat was intense, the smoke suf-
locating, the rapid swinging of the
heavy bag most exhausting, but she
was unconscious of these things. The
extremity of the danger inspired her
with wonderful strength and enaur-
ance. Instead of losing courage, she
increased her almost superhuman exer-
tons, and in another brief interval the
task was completed. None too soon
either, for the swiftly advancing col.
umn had nearly reached the wavering.
struggling, slow-moving line Indy had
sent out to meet it.
1t was wild, fascinating, half terri
BILE, half beautiful scene. The tongues
OF flame, leaping above each other with.
airy, fantastic grace, seemed, cat-like,
to toy with their victims before deVour-
ing them.
A sudden, violent gust OF wind, and
then with a great cracking roar the
/ two fires met, the flames shooting high
into the air as they rushnd together.
For one brief, glorious moment they
remained there, tapping the air with
their fierce, hot tongues; then, sudde'l-
ly dropping, they died quickly out;
and where an instant before had been
wall of fire was nothing now but
cloud of blue smoke rising from the
| blackened ground, and here and there
| sickly flame finishing an obstinate
tuft of grass The fire on each side,
meeting no obstacle, swept quickly by,
and Indy stood gazing, spell-bound,
after it as it darted and flashed in ter
rible zigzag lines farther and farther
| away.
"Oh, Lindyn' called a shrill little
voice from the house. Elmer had just
| awakened.
9 Yes, I'm coming" Indy an
swered, turning. But how very queer
she felt! There was roaring in her
ears louder than the fire had made;
| everything whirled before her eyes,
and the sun seemed suddenly to have
ceased shining, all was so dark.
Reaching the house by a great effort,
she sank, faint, dizzy and trembling,
upon the bed by her brothers side.
Elmer, frightened and hardly awake,
began to cry, and. as he never did any
thing in halfway manner, the result
was quite wonderful. His frantic
shrieks and furious cries reused his
half-fainting sister as efectually as if he
had poured a glass of brandy between
her lips. She soon sat up, and by and
by color began to return to the white
face and strength to the exhausted
body. Her practical nature and strong
will again asserted themselves, and in
stead Of yielding to feeling of weak
ness and prostration, she tied on her
sun-bonnet firmly, and gave the chick
ems their long-delayed dinner.
But when, half an hour later, her
father found her fast asleep, with the
glow from the sky reflected on her
weary little face, he looked out of the
window for a moment, picturing to HIM
self the terrible scenes of the afternoon,
and then down at his daughter. "a
brave girl!'' he murmured, smoothing
the yellow hair with his hard. brown
hand brave girl!'- Charlotte a.
Butts, IN st. Nicholas.
/!