Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-09-19

nesting in the tiny basket You'll
take care of us now. won't you, Miss
Janey?" she asked, confidingly. as she
put the napkin carefully back.
Dear child" returned Janey, ten
derby. in an agony of pain and grief
for her dead pony. ''Til do my best
for you. but you must do just as 1 tell
you. Can you unbuckle Brete's
girth?'
I'm 'fraid to; he's so dead"
Janey smiled a little bitterly.
"Well, perhaps l can do it." and
working her way to his side, she un-
fastened the girth and by much tug
ging pulled the blanket off. the tears
running down on his pretty name. A
shrill scream from Dolly reused her
from her bitter reflections.
'Oh, Miss Janey. the fire is most
to u.s."
God help us, them" thought the
poor girl as she called Dolly to her.
'.Now sit down on this blanket and
when the fire comes close to you, you
must cover all up with it. If you
swallow any of the hot air it will kill
you"
Dolly began to cry as she gingerly
seated herself on the wet blanket. It's
so nasty and damp, Miss Janey." she
sobbed.
'"Be thankful for that The fire is
so close can hear it cracking. am
going to burn little of the grass
around u.s." Working her way little
distance she lighted a match and set
the grass blazing. 1t swept merrily
up over the bank. and when it would
have eaten in toward the child, she
beat it out with one of the blankets.
At last, with white, drawn face, she
crawled to Dolly. The air about them
grew close and hot and burning grass
fell all over them. The land here was
low and the grass was mixed with blue
stem, species of grass that grew sew
eral feet high and made intense heat.
With the feeble strength at her COM
mand, Janey brushed the burning
particles away till Dolly, screaming
with fright, sprang into her lap, leav-
ing both exposed to the fiery bath.
By main force Janey held the frenzied
child down and drew the blanket over
them, but Dolly's frantic struggles
made them slip, leaving Janey's head
and shoulders uncovered. Her hair
crisped and singed and her hands blis-
tered; her face grew hot, then cool,
and then all was dark.
"Am dead?" asked weak voice
from among the pillows
''No, daughter, nor near it now,
thank Heaven; but you must not
talk"
''But what makes my voice sound so
queer and what ails my head? Where
is my hair?" persisted the thin little
voice.
''Gone up in the chariot of fire,
Jane" answered Tom, coming in just
then.
"And Dolly?" she gasped, as the
awful day of trial came to memory.
"Doll's all right; heap sight bet
ter off an you are. I tell you we've
been having a time with you the last
six weeks"
"Six weeks! Oh, Tom, is this Oc-
tober?"
"You bet; the last day at that
"And l didn't go to school after
alp"
There was a piteous tone in the
weak voice that Tom couldn't stand
Mother, I'm going to tell her." he
cried, impulsively.
'.She must promise to keep perfect
ly quiet, then"
Indeed, 1 will be quiet, mother.
Now, Tom, tell me quick, all about
it."
"Well. to begin with, you hadn't got
half mile away when Colonel Lands
came riding up on the lookout for
Dolly, but before he got to the trail
after you the fire was all around him.
and he knew it was no use to 60 on.
just as quick as the fire passed the
men from Lanes and Colonel Lands
started out to hunt you. Dolly had
started home, but the ground was hot
and burned her feet and she was crying,
and, jimmy crickets! what ugly
looking young 'un she was. Her face
was as black as my pup. We found
you down in the ravine and thought you
was dead. sure. Your curls was all
burned off. and your eyebrows and
lashes and your face and hands all
blistered. Poor Brete was pretty bad
ly burned, too. You broke your ankle
in the tumble. Colonel Lands brought
you home. and here you've been for
six weeks, screeching: Dolly. dear,
you'll get burned l took care Of her,
after ALL" concluded Tom, loftily,
land she had to ride on a mule, too; i.
| most killed her."
'.And the corn?" questioned Janey.
'.All burned. and mighty near took
the barn. too"