The Lafayette gazette. [volume] (Lafayette, La.) 1893-1921, 1895-06-01

fOun0 the nOr1ZOu, wnef0 no unCOn0s
mon sign was manifest, he at last
sought his bunk. Tired nature soos
drowned his fears In sleep.
Five hours later q slim, red tongue
reached over the. crest of the knoll
that bounded the horizon of Stnr
camp to the south. It writhed this
way and that among the long grass
stems. Another and another followed
it, then d wall of flame, reaching east
and west as far as the eye could fol-
low. rose over the ridge and bore down,
with race-horse speed, upon the de-
voted little settlement below.
jake Ringer stirred uneasily in his
the quiet figure beside him. A glare of
lurid light filled the little room with
the brightness of MONDAY; but still
they slept on. Outside in the corral
horses were snorting and stamping,
their wild eyes staring a. the distant
mails piclketcd on the prairie tugged at
their stout ropes, rearing and scream
ing.
Old Tom Griffin, walked by the rising
clamor, sprang with q bound to the
door. ''Fire! Fire!'' he shouted.
''QuiclI, out Of this, or yen smother
like rats in q hole!"
-Four half-clad figures rushed ont In
to the night, and Dick Elland beat on
Jake Ringers door, calling: ''Up! Up!
If We value yer lives!''
Reused from his heavy siumber Jake
stumbled across the floor; trembling.
Carmen followed close behind.
One look at the oncoming demon
brought Jake to his wandering senses.
"a back-fire, quick, you idiots!' he
bnwled, and made a break for the
cook house.
Old Tom laid a powerful, restraining
hand on his shoulder.
lot INV Ind h oil oh
the din of the frantic, peDned-in herd.
''That furnace 'nd reach us afore twas
even started
Indeed, the fiery breath of the ad-
vancing flames already scorchcd their
faces.
1--WE must trust to our good horse
hesh!' spoke up Dick Elland, quickly.
A rush for tho picketed ponies-in
an instant more each man was riding
for his life.
Jack Ringer was first in the saddle;
he c,,rbed his frightened steed with
one strong arm: and with the other
swung Garments light form to a seat
It was old Tom who stopped at the
corral, suatched the chain from it's
hook, and, ainging wide the gates,
gave freedom to the poor, crazed crca-
lures within the walls
Fear lent wings to their fect-the
ridden and the riderless together
dashed eagerly toward the dark north
ern horizon, where, miles away, lay
safety in the cool waters of the BrazoS
No one looked bac.. in time to see how,
with q leap and roar, the hungry
flames bounced on the deserted build
ings, and, in one short moment, licked
up every trace of mans handiworlk.
On and on, mile after mile of dry
prairie slipping back from their swift
beating hoofs, sped tho fleeing band.
Anxious faces turned now and then
to see if they kept their start
Carmen, covering on old Generals
broad back-Carmen, clinging with
n clutch of despair to Jalke's Shout
ders-who turned the oftenest. It
was Carmen who first noticed tho short
distance-so terribly, hopelessly short
cloud was lessening. She shrielxed
aloud in her terror, but Jake babe her
sternly: Take courage! It's only two
miles more to the river!''
Only two miles!-but the pace was
telling. The worls-weary and laden
flying herd. Old General, with his
double burden, still kept his place in
the van, but jake could feel he was
weakening.
Nearer and ever nearer swept the de-
stroying element. Slower and slower
seemed to move the painting and strain
ing horses.
A mile-a half-mile-now but q omar
ter-to safety! Could they make it?
The fire was pressing them closely; tho
singing smoke blinded men and
horses; their skins parchcd md cracked
In the awful heat. Inch by inch Old
General lost his frontage; in vain jake
piled the spur, in vain he ssvore and he
pleaded; the good old horse was spent!
In one last, despairing glance aAea-
ward, Jake saw that the flames vcrc
upon them; his bravo bcast still stag
gered forward, but at that pace moth
was buried on his shoulder.
With parched lips the man mu uttered:
''At least we die togethcr!'
A wild scream ran through the poll
of grass smoke. Old Tom on the river
bank heard it: '1d,os, caro- MIC, ono
alone may he saved!'
The clinging arms relaxed; relieved
of the woman's weight, tho horse
sprang forward.
For q second her figure stood haloed,
as her hair and light garments blazed
upward; then tho swirling pillows
! shut out the terrible picture.
Jake Ringer covered his eyes and
fell forward on Generals neck. He
did not know that his hair was singed
and his clothes already SmolderiuR as
his horse plunged into the Brazos. He
| did not know that his comrades lifted
him gently up the opposite bank MS the
fire swept to the waters edge and died
| H1..A ~