Daily Republican., 1890-01-23
THE FIEND IN PURSUIT.

THE fIEND IN PURSUIT.
II Is high noon OF an August day.
Hotl Whewi but how the summer
SUI beats down on the great prairie =
scorchinK, whitening, shriveling- heating
the blood OF man and snimal until II
seems TO boil We have turned aside
into this grove Of cotton Gods rs much
Tor shelter Is I. prepare aud eat the
noonday meal. There are oue-three-
Observation-Disclosures covering . space
OF a quarter Of an acre. Here . spring
bubbles mp from strata of sand and
gravel, and so many thousand animals
have come here 10 slake their thi Of that
the earth Ia bsro OF grass for the space OF
two acres. Not exactly bare, but cropped
oil 60 short and trOdden under foot 20
often that 1t Ia only thin carpet to cover
the soil. The paths, radiatiny away
through tho dry and waving grasa are
like the spokes oil . wheel.
Ali but wafer touches the spot on q
day like this when Que has been In the
saddle since sunrl.el Eat h man Of US
aays so by word OF mouth, and each
horse says SO In his look OF rsliei alter
thirst has been quenehei. Whisky!
Brandy Champsgnsl They would
have bsen flung aside with . feeling OF
disgust.
''-niles To-"
There are no sign-b iaris on tho prairie.
Turn which way you will sud the horizon
descends to the waving grass. We are
drifting on vast inland ses---a sea of
earth and grass and dying ilowers-both
grass and flowers yielding up their lives
to the long wesks of dry, Tot weather.
One may bsvs company aud comforts,
and he may be certain that II no holds
true to the compass he will come out
safely, but yet the feeling steals over him
and there by wind and wave and cur
rent
"What ails that horse?"
We all sprang up to SEQ one of the
aaddis horses-a veteran In years and
experience standing with his head high
In the air and aud pointing due west.
While he looks as fxedly as II his eyes
had lost their power to turn, his nostrils
culver and dilale with excitement. We
watched him full minute He WIS the
first to exhibit alarm, but now one horse
after another throws up his head and
looks to the w,st
at fire, boys"
Had 1t been night we should have seen
the reflection. Had there been q strong
wind the odor would have come TO US
sooner. There 10 only q gentle breeze
lAnguishing, dying under the fierce sun,
but resurrected and given new lease OF
life at intervals by an unknown rover.
But now We can SOC the smoke driving
hesvenwards and shutting the blue OF the
west from our vision--now the horses
| show such signs that no man could mis-
take. A great wall OF namo flfy miles
In length is rolling towards us, famed
and driven by \ breeze OF its own crea-
ton, but coming slowly and grandly. 1t
To kes me only two or three minutes to
Climb to the top OF ono OF the trees, and
from my elevated position l eau get q
grand view Of the wave of FIRE which 10
driving before itevorything that llyes and
can move.
Wa work fast. Blankets are wet at the
spring aud hung up between the trees TO
make q bulwsrk against sparxs anu
smoke, the horses doubly secured, camp
equipske piled up and covered, and be-
iore we are through We have visitors.
Ten or twelve buffalos came thundering
up-pass the grove halt and return TO
its shelter, crowding as close to the horses
~ they can, aud showing no fear at our
presence. Next come three or four an
telOpes, their bright eyes bullying out
with fear and their nostris blowing out
the heavy odor with sharp snorts. One
rubs against me aud lieks my hand as l
rub her nose.
Yelpl Yclpl Here are half . dozen
wolves, who crowd among the butialos
and tremble with terror, and score OF
serpents race over the open ground to
seek the wet ditch which carries of the
overflow OF the spring. Last to come,
aud only q mile ahead OF the wave,
which is licking up everything In Its
path, Is mustaDg--a single animal
which has somehow BEEN separated from
his herd. He comes from the north, rae
ing TO reach the grove before the hrs shall
cut h.m of, aud he runs for his life.
With ears laid back, nose pointing aud
his eyes aIed on the goal, his pace is that
oil a thunder bolt He leaps square over
Quo pile OF camp OUTFIT and goes ten rods
beyond before he eau check himself,
Then he comes trotting back and crowds
between Two Of our horses with low
whnny.
There Is roar like Niagara; the smoke
driv-s over US In . pail like midnight.
The air seems to be one sheet OF fame.
The wave has swept up to the edge of the
bare ground, and 10 dividing to pas us
by. We are In an oven. The horses
snort and cough and plunge. thA wolves
howl aud moan as the heat and smoke
become intolerable. Thus for i've min
utes, and then relief comes Tho fame
has pa. ssd aud the smoke is driving away.
In their path is cool breeze, every Whit
OF winch 10 n grand elixir.
lu ten minut the grove 10 70 clear Of
smoke that We can see every foot OF the
earth again. A queer siaht IL 10. 1t has
been the haven OF refuge for snakes,
lisards, gophers, prairie dogs, raabits,
coyotes, wolves, antelopes, deer, butia-
loes, horses aud men-eumity, antipathy
aud hunger suppressed for the ponce shat
all might live, that each might escape
the fend 10 pursuit. For half an hour
nothing movss. Then the mustang nings
up his head, blsws the last oil the smoke
from his nostrils aud starts on with 4
flourish OF his heels. The buifaioes go
next. the deer and antelope follow, and
in i've minutes We are left alone.
For iiity miles TO the north, west and
south there 10 nothing but blAekpess, a
landscape OF despair Away to the ras'
the wall Of Gre is still moving on and on
-implacable, relentless-a 2snd Whose
harvest Is death and whose trail is deso-
lation.