News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-09-11
caught glimpse of him springing mad
ly toward them.

robe of fire; and outside of this q circle
of blood thirsty savages, whose cruelty
was equal to that of the blazing element
that hemmed him in.
The youth had a brave heart, but il
was like lead in his bosom as he compre-
hended the terrible danger by which he
was surrounded.
With the speed of race horse the
red flames came on behind him; already
they were scorching his body with the
heat of fiery furnace, yet why should
he stir f1om his place?
By going further on he might prolong
his life for a moment, but already the
flames in advance were rushing toward
him and the relief would be but momen-
tary; but we cling to life SO long as il
can be spun out, and Harry, though he
saw no hope of escape, sprang forward,
and a moment more the red flames were
cracking where he had stood.
A few yards further on and the huge
trunk of fallen tree lay before him.
The limbs had been cut off by the set
tiers, but the body was so huge that
they had not attempted to remove it
when the field had been prepared for
the sowing of the wheat.
As his eye rested upon it newborn
hope of escape flashed to the mind of the
danger-encircled youth.
He well knew that the trunk of the
fallen pine was hollow and that the cav.
ity was sufficiently large to admit of his
crawling in for a considerable distance.
Here was an escape from the flames, at
least, and it might be that the savages
would think that he had dashed through
the flames and escaped in some direction
| under the cover of the dense smoke and
would not think to examine his hiding
place.
The shell of the tree was of consider
able thickness and he knew that if it
burned readily it would be some time
before the flame could penetrate to him
and in the interval the savages might
take their departure.
To adopt this expedient and to put it
into execution was but the work of few
moments, and ensconced at the other
end of the aperture he waited with al
ternate hope and fear for the onset of
the flames, and time that should decide
his own fate.
Not long had he to wait.
With a roar like "a tempest they came
ON. and he could feel their hot breath
through a narrow crevice in his shelter,
which had been rent in its giant side by
falling. and which served as breathing
place. without which it would have been
| impossible to have obtained air, as his
body and clothing filed the aperture
almost completely.
For a few moments the flames ragged
above him like the blast of furnace,
but the heat was soon exhausted and
the surge passed on; but Harry could
still hear the flames cracking above
him. and knew from this that the tree
was burning; but this gave him no un-
easiness, as he knew if he remained
in his present position it would be several
hours before the fire could reach him, i
it did at all, which was doubtful, as he
found from the touch that the inside oi
the shell was wet and soggy, and, there
fore, would not burn readily.
Wait and trust was all that could be
done. Wait until the savages had left
and trust that that would be soon, con
vinced that under the cover of the
smoke he had made his escape.
1t was but few minutes from the
time the fire was set before all that re-
mained of the field of waving grain was
the charred black earth, from which the
smoke was rising in many places; anc
no sooner had the flames subsided, 81
that it was possible for them to venture
ere the savages, who during this time
had kept up their internal yells, were
hunting the grounds for the remains O.
the youth, who the- were positive hat
not escaped from the fiery circle will
which they had surrounded him.
1t was several minutes before th'
ground had been fully explored, and t.
their amazement, they could find nt
trace of the one whom they doomed tt
the fire; and they had nearly arrived a
the conclusion that he had escaped
under the cover of the smoke, when tn,
attention of one of them was attracted
by the burning trunk of the fallen pine
He called to the others, and In mo
ment the Whereabouts of the youth wa
known to them all. Harry, in forcing
himself into the aperture, had disturbed
the light soil at the end of the log, an(
where his feet had been indented wal
still plainly visible, Notwithstanding tb'
fire; and the little hope that had crep
into the heart of the youth, went out, TO
well he knew by their words, that hi
hiding-pIace was discovered, and that h
was again at their mercy.
For few minutes the savages con
suited together as to the best method o
disposing of him, and at last it wa
agreed among them, that the apertur
at the end of the log should be close
up securely, and then fresh fuel heape
upon the trunk, until it should be con
sumed along with its inmate.
The horror of Harry Philips can b
better imagined than described, rs
pursuance of this internal resolution tn
red demons with large stone securel
closed the entrance, so that it would b
impossible for the inmate OF the shell
disJodge it. Then he heard them de
part and ere long return with the Tres
fuel, which they heaped above MIN; an
the red flames, taking new life there
! from, turned the log again into shrou
of living fire.
Well the youth knew that a terrlbl
t death was nigh upon him; but not or
came from his lips for the red demon
, to glory in.
He had looked upon the green cart
axJ 4bo hI,o ,lr-x t6a loct tipoa nm