The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-03-18

upcn terra frma, sheltered by q bic
grease-wood brush. No persuasion could
induce her to remount, but at her earnest
request, the rest Of the party continued
their upward journey, leaving her in hei
present retreat for the few hours thai
would intervene before their return
home.
Garcia gave a sigh OF relief as a bend
in the trail hid them from view. and sh,
was left alone. The day was perfect, anC
she revelled in her independence and tn,
ravine she heard the music Of hldder
stream. Tall yuccas, with their masses
OF snowy bloom, might stand for white
robed specter wives Of dead mountain
giants, with whom Thor tried his feats oi
skill.
She laughed aloud at merry mockine
bird, bubbling over with a song. mimick
ing the sweet notes and shrill calls Of hi.
feathered friends, and ending with tn,
mournful peep Of a dripping chicken.
She knew that Jose's home was in the
canyon around the other side Of the
mountain aud that he sometimes took
this trail as a shorter cut to the town DO
low. What il he should come this morn.
ing! How surprised he would he to see
her in this unexpected place. Would he
be glad? The trip had been tiresome
and her present quarters so comfortable
that her day dreams melted away and
she dozed.
Suddenly she awoke with the thought
that the day had become surprisingly hot.
She drew a little further into her i'm.
promptu bower and resumed her castle
building. By-and.by q clumsy jack
rabbit, with his ridiculous ears dropping
forward numbered across the path. A
timid little cotton tail followed swiftly,
with strange disregard of her presence.
The air grew hotter and hotter. The
mocking.bird hushed his songs and few
away. Queer little Lizards with their
haltins haste, darted into the bushes.
More rabbits, with long jumps, passed by
and disappeared over the mountain. She
wondered idly at this strange procession
of beasts and reptiles, but scrambled has.
tily up as a horrid toad, with bristling
back and unnecessary tail, nearly ran
across her feet as she rose; the burro
with n loud snort aud mighty wrench
snapped the rope with which he was
staked, and ran madly up the trail.
She heard loud cracking noise, and
clouds of smoke stifled her. What could
it mean?
Bewildered, she looked down the
mountain side. o God! she knew then
The mountain was on fire. Tongues Of
flame darted from shrub to shrub, and
licked up the grass, dried to finder by the
semi-tropic sun through the rainless sum.
mer months. With roar like tempest
it swept up the mountain. The dried
branches of dead trees, killed By former
fires, caught the blaze, and stood up like
sentinels Of fire in its wake.
Although she knew that certain and
awful death was coming, terror held
Garcia helpless, and she was again be-
coming unconscious, when she was
aroused by the voice of Jose shrieking
wildly:
"Fly, senorita, ey! For the love Of the
virgin. fy!"
She could not move with fear as "lead
upon the feet Of her most anxious will. +"
The hot breath of death was scorching
her cheek, when she felt herself clutched
by the arm, and dragged unceremoniousIy
over rock and bushes to the other side
Of the bend. There was no time for
choosing paths. Jose was certainly not
to blame that his delicate physique
rendered him incapable OF giving her
better assistance, but when her senses re-
turned unreasonable indignation came
also. Stephen would never have dragged
and tumbled her down q mountain with
an utter disregard of her feelings and
her clothing.
Still they slipped and stumbled, and
the fire pursued them with dangerous
haste. Another five minutes and they
would reach the canyon, with its wide
expanse Of gravel and water and safety.
At this unfortunate moment Garcia's
skirts caught the projecting limb Of a
fallen tree and brought rescuer and res
cued to sudden standstill. Garcia
tugged at her skirts and Jose pulled at
Garcia with all his strength, which did
not tend to help matters. The fire came
nearer and snatched the end Of the tree
whose branch held Garcia prisoner. With
a wild shrek Jose let 60 his hold, and,
plunging downward. left the unfortu-
nate girl to her fate.
Relieved Of the strain the lossened gar
ments were easily dsentangled and Garcia
followed her cowardly guide, disgusted
even in her peril, and thoroughly cured
Of her infatuation. AS she reached the
saving gravel she saw strangely familiar
figure dash madly up the canyon. 1t
was only fleeting glance, but she was
too terrified for reason, and flung herself
headlong into the little stream. The
water gurgled and splashed and wet her
to the skin. Her hat was lost and her
dress was in tatters.
II shall die of consumption, she
thought, latter this exposure. Oh, how
sick feel! believe am dying now.
She opened her eyes, however and sat up
very straight for dying woman, as she
heard her name called in an aGonizing
tone.