The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-07-27

zap was hb sllIn anu WlilOWy as n COUJOn-
wood sapling in her close fitting black vel
vet habit. She had put up all her curls
under little black velvet hat, around
which was n long, black ostrich plume
miss Oates looked like thundercloud.
She had expected to see the child on her
little mustang and in the old black calico
habit skirt she usually wore. Henry
smiled and went to her instantly with a
loving word, and knew the clouds had
disappeared for time.
THE tournament began; up and down,
around this way and back that, under the
coppery sky the ladies rode, then paused
The judges were undecided, so they went
through the PAGES again. No decision.
The ladies would please change horses.
cap was off Rondo in an instant. but
many of the ladies demurred. Miss Oates
positively refused to mount anything but
her own thoroughly trained animal. The
contest narrowed to Cap and two other
plains bred girls, but even they dared not
mount Rondo. Cap rode each of the six
horses in turn. AS she changed the seventh
and last time to Rondo she rode to me.
"'Uncle, don't you smell the prairie fireP
she asked uneasily.
Eyes | replied; but IT'S across the
creek; it can't reach u.s.
"T was thinking Of the school house.
she replied hurriedly as the judges called
School began in Henry's district yester-
day and his sister let her little daughter
go with Rose Williams to-day and then
she rode into the ring.
81 looked at my watch-3:30-then over
to the north The smoke was rolling up
black and thick. l could see an eating
line of red. The sun was beginning to
look like n yellow haze and the air was
dense and heavy with the odor of burned
grass. If the wind should rse-just then
a puff lifted my hat. Yes, the school
house was in great danger if the wind
veered a point or two / heard a shout Of
pleasure and turned to see the judge hand
silver mounted whip to Cap. She turned
her head to look at me, and over beyond
me saw the clouds of smoke. She brought
the whip down on the TANKS of the mare
and quivering with fright Rondo reached
me in two leaps.
"'The Gill school house, gasped Cap, as
she pointed with her whip.
ITO that moment the prairie fire, so
common a thing had not been noticed. In
a moment all was confusion. Miss Oates
screamed, Miss Merriam, Henry's sister,
tainted and his mother turned white. In
an instant Henry was out of the buggy
with his hand on Rondos neck.
MAY l take her, Cappie? Nellie is
over there
cap slid down. The saddle was flung
off, and cutting the mare with the silver
mounted handle of the whip Cap thrust in
his hand Henry was off, followed by half a
dozen mounted men.
Just then Cap heard WINNER, and a
cold nose was thrust against her face
with scream of joy she threw her
arms about Bret's neck. The faithful lit
tie mustang had broken it's larat rope and
followed its mistress. Catching the trail
ing rope Cap tied it bride fashion in the
halter, then slipping out of her velvet
riding skirt and tearing off her gantlets
she said to me as she jumped on Bret, 4
know a short cut below the ford; maybe /
can help and was off.
II followed in the buggy.
Gap reached the school house. The fire
guards were forty feet wide and the teacher
and his pupils had burned the grass about
the building and felt safe in the school
room. The teacher said he would not let
the children go till all danger was passed.
Gap asked for Nellie Merriam
"'She cried to go home, so permitted
her to do so about o'clock
THE teacher told me afterward that he
thought he had been struck by lightning
when Cap got her breath.
"'Idiotl' she blazed, to let a little city
bred six-year-old child go half mile across
the prairie by herself. Why she isn't tall
enough to see over the blue stem in the
buffaloes' yallow,' and she dashed away.
"At the ranch only the frightened house
keeper appeared. Nellie had not comet
Cap rushed in the house and grabbed a
handful of matches and blanket from a
pile that was airing on the porch. This
she dipped in the watering trough as she
flew by; then she jumped on Bret again.
with the dripping blanket before her.
1.-The little mischief has gone down in
that ravine where we found the rabbits
nest, and if the wind changes one atom to
the northwest we are doomed was her
one thought as she dug her heels in Bret's
steaming sides.
Sure enough, as she neared the bank of
the ravine, she saw head of damp, dark
curls and little girl came clambering and
crying up the steep banks. Cap slid to the
ground and gathered the frightened waif
in her arms. 1t was too late to ride from
the fire. With all the strength left her she
struck Bret singing blow. Go home if
you can,' she cried, and the snorting mus
tang fled before the flames, now hot upon
them.
cap struck matches and threw into the
ravine. The fire leaped up and ran over
the bank toward the creek. Down over
the hot embers, hands and feet bistering
and the child in her arms screaming in
pain, Cap crept, dragging the wet blanket
with her The oncoming flames swept to
the edge of the ravine and hungrily licked
up the bits of dry grass left. They singed
Caps hair and nearly cooked her face. She
could barely keep the frantic child under
the blanket and could not save herself
THE roar and crackle died away toward
the creek, the air cooled little and then
came unconsciousness.
Just at dusk we found them. The men
had all taken the bridge road, two miles
around, but Bret and Cap had gone right
down over the rocky hill and across the
stream, dangerous to ford at the proper
place, doubly dangerous there; but they
had dared and won.
"Henry and his men rode right into the
jaws of hell in the blue stem along the
creek, and had to retreat till the flames
had exhausted themselves at the waters
edge.
N\Ve foun6 Rrat fret Ha bod ctun,LIad