Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-04

were gathered near the judges stand and their
escorts were chatting with them, waiting the
order to clear the ring.
"'Where is your Lady Gay spanker, Henry
asked bis sister as he drove up with his mother.
Henry frowned slightly, bus before he could
answer little buzz Of comment called the at
fention Of all as Captola rode up unattended.
she wouldn't even let me ride my old cob be-
slde her, 30 l was there before her in the
buggy.
Lord, but she was q beauty. Her slender
black mare was a. mettlesome az could be, and
tossed her long name and tail impatiently as
she obeyed that little hand, with its touch Of
velvet and grip Of steel. Cap was as slim and
wliiowy as cottonwood sapling in her close
ntt1ng black velvet habit. She had put up all
her curls under q little black velvet hat around
which was long black ostrich plume.
Miss Oates looked like athunder cloud. She
had expected to see the child on her little mus
| tang and In the old black calico habit skirt she
usually wore. Henry smiled and went to her
instantly with q loving word, and knew the
| clouds had disappeared for q time.
The tournament began; up and down, round
fthis way and back that, under the coppery sky
the ladies rode, then paused. The judges were
undecided, 80 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 re-
fused to mount anything hut her own thor
/ Se8Ay huAiISu luo COuttst DdITOWeu
to Cap and two other plains bred girls, but even
theydared 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 fire?' she
| asked uneasily.
Yes I replied; butts across the c, eek; it
| can't reach u.s.
| 81 was thinking of the school house, she re-
piled hurriedly NJ the judges called. School
began in Henry's district yesterday and his
sister let her little daughter 60 with Rose
Williams today and then she rode into the
ring.
| II looked at my watch-3:S0-then over to
the north. The smoke was rolling up black and
\ thick. could see eating line Of red. The
sun was beginning to look like yellow haze
and the air vas dense and heavy with the odor
OF burned grass. II the wind should rise
just then puff lifted my hat. Yes, the school
house was in great danger if the wind veered
point or two. ] heard . shout of pleasure and
turned to see the judge hand silver-mounted
whip to Cap. She turned her head to look at
smoke. She brought the whip down on the
TANKS of her mare and quivering with fright
Rondo reached me in two leaps
4" The Gill school house, saspsd Cap as she
pointed with her whip.
ITO that moment the prairie Ere, so common a
was confusion. Miss Oates screamed, Miss Mer-
ram. henry's sister, tainted and his mother
| turned white. In an instant Henry was out of
the buggy with his hand on R0ndo's neck.
May take her, Cappie? Nellie is over
Gap slid down. The saddle was flung on.
and cutting the mare with the silver-mounted
handle Of the whip Cap thrust in his hand
Henry was of, followed by half dozen mounted
men.
Gust then Cap heard WINNER, and a cold
nose was thrust against her facet
n Of Inv yhrnx,-
about Brets neck. The faithful little mustang
had broken his lariat rope and followed his mis-
tress. Catching the trailing rope Cap tied it
bride fashion in the halter then slipping out of
her velvet riding skirt and tearing off her
gauntlets she said to me as she jumped on
Bret: Il know a short cut below the ford;
maybe / can help and was off.
81 followed in the buggy.
Cap reached the school house. The FIRE guards
were forty feet wide and the teacher and his
and felt safe in the school room. The teacher
said he would not let the children 60 till all
danger was past.
soap asked for Nellie Merriam.
"'She cried to go home, SO permitted her to
do 30 about 3 o'clock
he had been struck by lightning when Cap got
her breath.
Idiot, size blazed, TO let little city-bred
six.year-old child go half mile across a prairie
by herself. Why she isn't tall enough to see
over the blue stem in the buffalos' wallow,' and
she dashed away.
'At the ranch only the frightened housekeeper
appeared. Nellie had not come! Cap rushed
in the house and grabbed handful Of matches
and blanket from 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.
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 a 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 mustang fed before the flames
now hot upon them.
Gap struck matches and threw into the rayine.
The fire leaped up and ran over the bank to-
ward the creek. Down over the hot embers
hands and feet blistering 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 uncon-
seriousness.
'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.
1--WE found Bret first. He had stumbled in a
dog hole, broken his leg and died in the fire.
After a search of four awful hours we found
Cap. Through the gathering gloom the crying
of the child guided US to her. The wet blanket
had saved Nellie, but poor Cap was nearly dead
She had lost all her yellow curls. Her face was
blistered and her eyes swollen shut. The waist
to her new habit was irretrievably ruined and
her skirts nearly burned of.
''She was wandering little in her mind. and
when Henry gathered her up in his arms she
put her blistered little hands about his neck
and said sorrowfully, II I'd had q mother
maybe I'd be different
Thank God you are your dear loving little
SELF Henry replied, with grave tenderness. as
he drew her disfgured face close to his loving
heart.
ut was a baptism Of fire, but it burned lots
Of dross out of several natures and blazed safe
and sure way for two of the best people ever