The state herald., 1892-04-29
SAVED FROM DEATH.

Emily Arban was fifteen years old,
but sho had always been in delicate
health and was scarcely larger than n
child OF ten. Her father had been
among the foremost to settle far out
apon the prairie when tho country was
new, and having some mcnuy to help
himself with, hs had prospered
nightly. A little settlement had soon
sprung up around him on tho pleasant
bank OF little creek. but outside OF
this thoro was not even n sauatter's
cabin for distance OF many milos.
AS has beon stated already Mr.
Arban had prosperod. Tho only
drawback TO his happiness was the
foeblo health OF his daughter. She
was small and puny and feeble, but
with IN exceedingly old head upon
her young shoulders; and shc was al-
ways saying and doing the strangest
rad most unheard-oi things,
Emily Arban was fearless ridor
and passionatoly fond OF that hoalth-
full exercise; and, thinking II would
prove beneficial 10 her her father had
given her old Bucksl,in, ono OF his
huge work horses, who was neverthe-
less very casy.gaited and quite speedy.
Tor her very own. So the little girl
was In tho habit OF taking long ex-
hiiarating rides far out ON tho level
prairie almost every pleasant day.
In accordance with this custom she
{ Cull1a1 A1I n,,ly,t-f. l. L..
morning In the late fall. forded the
creek on whose bank stood her fathers
dwelling. and spurred rapidly away
across the level country. A strong
wind was blowing from behind. and
the dry prairio grass scorchcd almost
TO n tindor by the summers sun.
rustled brcast-hlgh all around hcr.
Emily was In excellent spirits that
day, and even old Buckskin seemed 10
share in the oxhilaratiou OF his li,tlo
mistress For some timo they sped
straight on before tho bracing fall
breeze. without single glance be-
hind. Mile after mile was rapidly
covered but at last she wheeled her
horse for the return.
As she did so n startled cry escaped
her lips and sho refined In with n sud.
dNSness that threw Buckskin Violently
backward upon his launches In man
ner that would have unscnted loss
skillful rider. And well sho might
Right in her path between help
md home and herself wall OF fro
twenty ieot high was rolling on be.
fore the strong wind with moro than
railroad speed; while great volumes
OF INK black smoke were rolling dark
ly and heavily upward. Even then
the suilcn roar OF the advancing
flames broke upon her aiIrighted
ears
The deadly danger that mcnaood
hcr was only too apparent A sparl,
from some OF the chimneys at Arban-
dale had bcen waited across the creek
by tho wind and ltlndled blaze In tho
dry grass upon the other sidc. The
whole prairie behind her was sea Of
flame.
Child rs she wns Emily realized
her peril only too well. Two minutes
would be sufficient for that wa,o OF
fire to sweep over but no living crca-
ture could endure It's scorchlng heat
for even ,hn, brief period. unloss
some refuge bo found Immediately she
was doomed,
Fighting fire with fire was an ev-
pcdlent well known 10 the llt,lo girl.
for people frequently had 10 resort to
II nj that season OF the year so sho
hastily searched her well-allcd peck.
cts for matches All in vain; nothing
OF tho sort was TO be found
But ono resource was left 10 her
flight; and that was only n forlorn hopo
for the nearest water In that direction
was n stream twenty-five milos away.
Yet there. and there only, was safety.
Emily wheeled her horso again and
was oil like tho Wind. Even tho
frightened Buckskin seemed to rcailso
tho immlncnco OF tho danger. for ho
strained every nerve 10 tho utmost
Mile after milo OF smoking prairie
turf heightened out behind his clat,er-
Ing hools, but still tho lro galaod on
him rapidly. Tho smoke obscurcd tho
light Of the midday sun tho air grow
oppressive and.s,iiing and the distant
roar behind increased 10 II laundering
below rs he fed before the advancing
flames,
Nearer and nonror still To tho flying
fugitive swept that terrible barrier OF
doyourlng nre though old Buckskin's
trembling limbs seemed oxer,cd to
tholr very utmost Fast though ho
| .t..l ..st,,l a l..ll
after him with still greater speed.
Ten miles Of space wcro soon covered.
but In tho meantime tho conilngrn,ion
had drawn frightfully close.
Mcrcilessly indeed did Elnily drive
tho cruel spur into tho hcaylng sido
OF her painting steed. and for n time
ho responded nobly TO its touch Five
miles moro aud the linsiy ginncea that
sho threw backward over hcr sho,il.
dor assured tho imperilcd girl that
they wero almost holding their own.
II II could only last for li,iio while
longer.
| hut old Bucksaln's tremendous
oSor,,ons were telling upon his en-.
durancc DO had boon urged beyond
his strength and spur M sho would.
Emily soon found that the flames were
ngnln gaining rapidly Al long,h. as
tho rounded the summit Of tho long
honving prairie swclls IN her mad
flight n elcnm Of hope llghionod her
Utmost dcspniring oyol An irrcsu.
lar line OF small trees appeared In tho
distance, and sho know that they
| nnr'te1 tho eotitsp ol tho lonupd for
stream. II sho could reach 'hrm nhond
Of the confngrn,on sho wns saved
Hut old nuckskln'a mighty and
long continued efforts had almost ot.
haiiHied him and tho flames Hwopt
along ho, upon his track
Emily estimated tho distance In
other direction md tho probable
duration Of hor horses falling energies
md n single deHpnlring gronn escaped
| a.. itA..s, .A. tatl.taasI Ist lttaa