Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1894-03-21

cudtlllS WIFI theii, waiting tne Oruer TO
clear the ring.
"'Where is your Lady Gay Spanker.
HenryT asked his sister as he drove up
with his mother. Henry frowned slightly,
but before he could answer little buzz of
comment called the attention Of all as Cap
tola rode up unattended. She wouldn't
even let me ride my old cob beside her, SO
was there before her In the buggy.
Lord, but she was a beauty. Her slen-
der black mare was as mettlesome as could
be, and tossed her long name and tail I'M
patiently as she obeyed that little hand,
with its touch Of velvet and grip of steel.
Cap was as slim and willowy as cotton
wood sapling in her close fitting black vel
vet habit She had put up all her curls
under "A little black velvet hat, around
which was 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
1.-THE tournament began; up and down,
sround 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.,
~ 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 today and then
she rode into the ring.
81 looked at my watch-330-then over
to the north. The smoke was rolling up
black and thick. 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. II the wind should rise-just then
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
a silver mounted whip to Cap. She turned
her head to look at me, and over beyond
me saw the clouds of smoke She brought
Che whip down on the fanks 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.
"To that moment the prairie fire, so
common a thing, had not been noticed. In
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 | 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 u
dozen mounted men.
Gust then Cap heard a 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 its lariat 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, I
know short cut below the ford; maybe
can help and was off,
II followed in the buggy.
"Cap 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.
cap asked for Nellie Merriam.
"'She cried to go home, SO l permitted
her to do so about o'clock
1.-THE teacher told me afterward that he
thought he had been struck by lightning
when Cap got her breath.
"'Idiotp she blazed, to let a little city
bred six -year-old child go half a 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.
cat the ranch only the frightened house
keeper appeared. Nellie had not comei
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.
"'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 wait
in her arms. 1t was too late to ride from
the fire. With all the strength left her she
struck Bret stinging blow. Go home il
you can,' she cried, and the snorting mus
tang fed before the flames, now hot upon
them.
cap struck matches and threw into the
ravine. The fire leaped up and ran ovel
the bank toward the creek. Down ovel
the hot embers, hands and feet blisterine
and the child in her arms screaming il
pain, Cap crept, dragging the wet blanket
with her The oncoming flames swept tt
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