San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-09-03

cious now. and when Tony saw a SPADE
standing up against the side Of the
house il seemed to him like a provi-
dence, and he took advantage of it, The
door went in with a crash and as Ire
jumped through the opening he met
Wright coming out Of the bed room.
The room was brilliantly lighted by
the reflection, but not a word of recog-
milton was spoken.
"Get the horses" said Wright, in low
tome, and when the tramp went through
the door Wright turned hack to the
room.
"our only hope is the river" he said
20 his wife, who with a white, drawn
face. was hurriedly dressing Joey, but
her poor, trembling, nervous fingers
made little Roadway with the task.
When Tony came with the two horses,
Wright and his wife took one while the
tramp held Joey in place on the other.
There were three miles to ride to the
river and safety, and all but the boy
looked with anxious eyes at the line OF
laundering flame, while the farmer
sighed as he thought of the destruction
that fringe of ragged fire would do his
place.
But there was no time for sentiment,
so away they started, leaving all but
hope behind For two miles the horses
kept almost side by side, and then it
began to look as if the race was not
going to be an easy one for the heavy,
well fed animals. Steadily the fire had
gained until now, as they were almost
in sight of the river, a sweep of the wind
seemed to hurl the flames at them and
their threats became so parched they
could hardly breathe. Tony's horse,
bearing the lighter burden, sped ahead,
but the struggles of the other animal
were becoming SO labored that he
Stacked. Wright beat with his fists at
the tired beast, who, faithful enough
under his double burden, tried hard to
respond by an increase of speed, but it
was no use. for with the effort he went
down on his knees, throwing the two
heavily to the ground.
AS the woman shrieked in her down.
ward flight the tramp heard, and turn
ing in his uncertain seat he looked in
time to see two motiOnless forms, the
struggling horse, and then, like thing
of life bending to grasp its prey. the
wave of death swept over them.
Everything seemed a blur to the tramp
after that, for when he opened his eyes
an hour later he was lying on the oppo-
site side of the creek, with Joey near by,
watching with wondering eyes the glare
of the embers on the blackened waste.
He remembered nothing but the going
down to death of the farmer and his
wife, and realized the fact that he had a
new burden to bear in the care of the
orphan boy.
When strength came back to him he
picked joey up in his arms with feel
ing of tenderness he had never known
before and made for the ranch of the
nearest neighbor, some miles away,
where he told the story and found will
ing hands to help in the sad ceremony
of consigning the charred remains to a
decent grave.
AS for himself, Tony was for going
over into the Colorado diggings, leaving
the boy with the new friends, but joey
refused to be separated from his pro-
tector. so with little purse donated by
the big hearted farmer and with a re-
solve to devote himself to his charge,
the tramp took the orphan up into the
mines and prospected wish the hundreds
OF others for natures wealth.
The erection of new cabin announced
the fact that he had come to stay, and
during the months which followed the
boy grew strong and hearty under his
foster fathers care and became the life
of the camp. AS a miner, poor, mex
perienced Tony was an Indifferent sue
cess, although he managed to keep a
sack of flour and rasher of bacon in
the provision box, and occasionally made
barter with wandering Jew for little
lelicacies for Joey.
But even this poor luck was not des-
tined TO last, and when one night the
boy cried because he was hungry, and
the tramp knew there was nothing in
the little place to eat, he became desper-
ate and walked out in the cool night air
of the mountains to think what was to
be done.
There had been days in his life when
he had little respect for the eighth com
mandment, and it was very natural then,
at this critical period, that his uneducat-
ed mind should urge him to take from
others to supply himself and the boy.
He tried to reason that it was right
enOuoh unlpr the circumstances hIIt his