Arizona silver belt., 1894-04-21

tairing bread and cold meat, a pail o
 water that her father had brought iron
 the distant spring that morning, wer
 hastily let down to Beulah, and, last o
 all, the boys were helped down. an, l Katherine herself was about to descen,
 when breath of hot wind swept acros Der face.
 She recognized now what tho keene
 instincts of the colt had told before.
 The prairie was on firei
 In that moment intense mental agon, took possession of the brave girl Tn, fire was coming straight toward them
 of that there was no doubt. What coulc
 she dos She climbed swiftly up the lad der and looked around. A large zinc covered board, for,nerl,
 used to put under the kitchen stove, wa.
 standing near, leaning against the house
 This she dragged to the mouth of the
 eistern and pulled it nearly over the opening, and was rejoiced to see that il was large enough to cover the entire space except few inches on each side. Then she ran to the kitchen and 20,
 some matches.
 ''l must try back firing" she said. 'It
 IS onr only chance either to save the
 house or ourselves, but can do this be. tore the Indians get here?p
 Fear neryed her trembling hand as she scratched match and, stooping down,
 applied it to the grass few rods away from the house.
 A puff of wind extinguished it before the grass caught fire. Another and yet another shared the same fate, her hands shaking so that she wondered how she held the light. Another attempt was successful, and she saw feeble blaze run along the ground ut her feet. Again and again she applied the fire, until a light, thin flame extended for about 20 yards each side of the house. This she knew would soon burn over and give the coming flames nothing 10 feed npon, while the light fire she started would not be sufficient to burn the house or stable. She glanced around before again de- scending into the cistern. Nothing was in sight except a wall of smoke, black at the base, red aboye and blue with the writhing, curling vapor that swirled and spread above till it was absorbed in the atmosphere.
 Perhaps the Indians have gone to the rayine for protection. she thought; If so, it is well we did not try it.
 The air was growing hotter; the wind, fed by the combustion of the advancing flames, was blowing the fire in the yard closer every minute. There was a dull roaring beyond, where the high wall of fire rolled like fiery breakers, gathering force with each breath of wind. Clearly she could delay no longer.
 "He!p me pull mp ihe ladder, Beulah," and this removed, she sat down with her feet over the edge of the cisterp and dropped into the strong arms held up to catch her
 Don't pull ne down: must pull the board over, she gasped. And this t4sk accomplished. she sank down exhausted beside her brothers.
 Harvey had been reciting to little Bruce tbe most blood curlApg tales of Indian atrocities, and. frightened at the pictures he himself had conjnred up to trighten bis brother, sat with his head bent forward upon his knees, so6ling loudly
 Bruce threw his arms around Rather ine's neck, too frightened to speak or ut- ter cry.
 Katy" he whispered, bis breath com. ing inquicll gasps, "are they coming. and will Little Crow scalp us and burn us at the stake, with little burning splinters stuck all over cur boiiesg'
 Haryey, brought face 10 face. as it were, with the realization of Lis own bloodthirsty fancies. gave an agonizing howl.
 Hear 'em roar" he cried. "0-o-h. why don't papa conner What did he go and leave Us fori'
 1t Is the roar of the fire" bis sister answered, with white lips: ii is coming nearer; but don't be afraid and don'tcry for it cannot touch us here"
 The tide of living fire swept over them: the air. almost excluded from their cramped quarters. grew bot and they could hear the cracl,ls of the lurid flames, and q spark CT two Tell upon them through the crack over. head But this fire was slight compared with the flaming wall. l2 or I5 feet high. which roared louder and still louder as t came leapiug, cracking on.
 TEis Urge fire. finding nothing 10 con. sume thanks to Katherjne's foresight in back firing" diyided. when it came 10 he spot already burned over, and swept l each side of the cabin.
 But the air was full of flying cinders, | yreat clumps of grass were taken up by | he wind and blown in every direction. 1 falling down through lhe | ,pening, where they were proinptly 'aught and extinguished by Beulah, who | lad slowly recovered her wits
 Laws, chile, dem chunks boun ter ,urn de house plum down ef dey shin 'oun dat way. Neber seen sech befo', md Tse jes' clar riled at 'ein, honey"
 "You must hold me up, Beulah. and ct me take look out" said Katherine.
 What slght met her eyesi To the fight. to the left. as far as she could see,
 black ashen plain extended. Gone ! we're the goldenrod and the prairie grass, with its heavy heads of seed holding in he wind. On every side only ashes, that ose in dense clouds with every passing -ust, except here and there q dilnpled ollow where tho fire still smoked and moldered.
 But the hnrsS5 was still standing With a glad cry she called out. "Beulah, be h9use and stable are savedl Now we i'll get out of this hot place."
 But where are inc IndiansT' howled Iaryey. "Guess we don't want to get ,alped, do we?"
 Sure enough, where were they? In her at escape from nearer dan CT, Katherine had almost forgotten 'ie 1.