New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-06

treasured. he dropped bhndle from under n is
arm, and swiftly stripping to ms sir., s'p ,,st have
hold other clothes for as quickly dressing agai, he
| looked different even IN the gloom, .o.,;nr n,
| At the least sound, meanwhle-cne, ha pta1ted
n deld-mouse the far-on cry Of an owi-he s.aiveu
and tremblcd. Ills ears were strdlnlng liei p o,
OF hearing Ills eyes stared as he feariuhy iooh''
| around. ...5 ho, boi IL
WAS rare sport-that overhead two bright huhah eyo
were gloating over his movements Iine nd yoaS
crouching along rafter between te nay anu ,rntc
was holding its breathing whcn the teirho" "i'''
The man hastily Began grubbing deep In the o hay
now hid bufde there, ana s ,h ,v g%S eau.
tiously following furrow., lie disappeared tho
Down swung the crouching figure from I'm, tne
Iatters, stared and Listened menu ~ duo out the
| bundlc from tine hay and began capering and
chuckling, stuIing Its fists into its mouth 10 keep
''VI Ha IA Gai fine clothes" The spy held them
| up in exultatiOn and then quickly undressea IKE
the first man. put the discovered garments, anu
iessy he danced out into the wheatfeld, creature
| full of strange antics, waving long pipe. why
did the pipe not burn? Smoke was aisagreeable IN IN
the throat making one cough, but IL was pmat~b
hun matches. Striking one on the stone wall T.
away. The tiny light fiickered on the ground
like q glow-worm, then ignitcd morsel OF G Gry
eorse near and began to emit small cracKies. Oh,
| glory a bonfire! The watching creature laughed
| In his heart and piled on more twlgs Oh gorse'
Migrants from the moor that lay behind the wall;
| till, with little roar, up leapt the piaze anu
caught the dry wheat stalks nearest Ana tne
| blaze spread.
Thundcri What glorious storm in the noun
tainsi No: a battle and lannon's roar boo-Ooming /
Get up! Wake up!' suddenly opened my eyes
to hear Aileen's voice calling outside, wolfe my
door was loudly hammered at;
Bill - Mr.. LennoA 80 The whea'neid Is OIL
And a pinkish glow, not that of dawn, creep
ing under the blind and partially lighting my
room, verified her words.
In two minutes had stumbled into the passage
partially dressed, with looS boot-laces, while Bill
was defyIng the greater darkness OF his side OF
the house and struggling, into some clothes.
Aileen still stood outside, only dressed In long
white wrapper she must have hastily snatched up,
while her glorious black hair fell down her back
in mass. 49,
eagerly listened the stentOrian directions coming
from behind Bills door! g,
Then, seeing me, the dear girl started, ana
slipped like white cloud out of view though not
~" III II the the field goes, so does the cottage. We
can't save i, for the thatch will blaze like fury"
shouted Bill. -.
Let US reap round the house for our lives!'
cried /.
Good the reaping machine is here. The farmer
who owns this field sent it over from his other
farm Yesterday. Thatll do" yelled Bill, joy
ously "fll harness the brown FLY. And YOU,
Gilbert run for your life and kick up the navvies
They're down by the line, half mile away"
Let me go. I'll ride the pony called
Aileen.
"No. Let me. You know / ride nearly two
stones lighter" was shrieked in shrill tones, ear
splitting as those of An excited canary. And Loo
burst like q squib upon the scene in short petit
coats and crimson dressing jacket.
That's right, little You shall ride"
$50 as you are" shouted Bill, encoungingly,
Gathering downstairs. We hurried after him to
the stable. and presently led out the horses, whn
vicious cuts Of her whip and started down the
steep lane at brealneck pace; her hair and
needed attention, for she fit TO jump out of her
skin. Still, couldn't tell how the snorting, ter
rihed creature, with one of us at her head, was
the blaze and roar of the burning wheatfeld and
the terrifying whirr at her heels Up and down
across the great field, and as near the fire and
long swathes. And behind us came Ailecn and
her two maids N light attire. raking up vaantly,
gathering with their hands, ping the wheat high
hiss.
second time we cut down the field Where he had
sprung from did not know. But he was work.
ing diligently If slowly, seeming lame, and en-.
numbered with a long coat.
Thrice we had traversed the full width from
wall TO hedge, and bare stfip-how narrow it
looked !-between the fiery half of the field and
the standing corn rewarded efforts
IIurrah! IIurrah Here come the navvies! :"
halloaed all at once with glee, hearing distant,
m1any-throated shout of s1ccor. Loo must have
cOns @ Saawny f hy n
dred, jumping over the hedges scrambling through
gaps. running like mad to see the sight
Hooray, boys! Come, and help, yelled Bill
Justify, driving harder than ever. The women
stopped breathless, holding their sides, and limpng
aside over the stubbe that had prcked their
ankles. The navvies made a line down the field,
and two OF them noticed that the man who had
been working hitherto was now dropping behind.
They whispered together, cycling the stranger sig
m mn9 ~Os re n sn Xxi Sf0pfa foss place
between us If you've worked, wevt ran.
This was true; The man dropped into line then
he furtively looked either hand and Mt the
under the summer night sky, though the field was
Lit up clear as day with the wide red glare of
TIE ccn}s i ton lie dared mot run Not yet
his heart and tingled through his veins to be off
and away,-free. But he worked on. feeling him
self watched.
just then came Mortified cry from Aieen, who
sprang forward pointing with outstretched arm
toward the blazing field. Now the ,wheat-feld,
BENZ of lay in he rises and
rock neared the surface the wheat was still almost
green. The fire had half encircled this rising
ground, and was licking Its way to right and to
into the hollow, where they must needs meet. the
grain being golden-rpe and dry finder there
And this hillock mans figure had now
sprung up, fleeing before the fire. He raised his
arm wildly, but stood still. In the fierce light
all eyes could descry his dress for he wore loose
blouse of gaudy stripes that could be seen from
afar.
The convict! the convict" A hoarge shout
of eXecration went up from fifty Threats =" He's
fired the fied!" And the men cursed him where
they stood
At the of anger the figure that had begun
timidy advancing down through the wheat to the
hollow started, and scurried back like hunted
hare 10 the hillock top.
Shame you men; don't head him back 70
his DEATH" | sang out Justify, while Bill nut his
hands to his mouth and beloved, Come on lad
Don't stay there TO be roasted alive In five
minIItes The fire will shut in l.nal- ,har b