The Van Buren press., 1895-05-11

AOuuu Iilo uOFi1OUe WueFo no uucOk0r
mon sign was manifest, he at last
sought his bunk. Tired nature soon
drowned his fears In sleep.
| Five hours hster Slim, rcd tongue
reached over the crest Of the knoll
that bounded the horizon OF Star
cauaps TO. the south. IT writhed this
way and TINT among the long grass
stems. Another and smother followed
It, then 4 wall Of flame, fenching east
and west rs far MS 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
sleep, and flung q protecting arm over
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 at the distant
but swift-coming danger. The ami
mails picketed on the prairie tugged at
their stout ropes, rearing and scream
ing. sls sa4 81
Old Tom Griffin, walked by the rising
| clamor, sprapg with bound to the
door. "Firel Fire!" he shouted.
"Quiclk, out Of this, or yen smctAer
like rats in a holc!"
| -Four half-clad figures rushed out In
to the night, and Dick Elland beat on
Jake Ringers door, calling: "Up! Upl
II ye value yer lives!' E "a.
| Reused from his heavy slumber 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
/ bawled, and. made . break for the
cook.hou - Il 81
Old Tom Lads powerful, restraining
hand on his shoulder. ) =
( %roo late, my ladls he shouted above
the din Of the frantic, penned-in herd.
"That furnace 'ud reach us afore twas
even started"
Indeed, the fery breath Of the ad-
vancina hames already scorched their
| faces.
rswe must trust to our good horse
flesh!" spoke up Dick Elland, quickly.
A rush for the picketed ponies-in
an instant more each man was riding
for his life. s.
= Jack Ringer was first in the saddle;
he crrbed his frightened steed with
ono strong arm, md with the other
swung Garments light form to seat
behind him.
1t was old Tom who stopped at the
corral, suntched the chain from its
hook, and, fiinging wide the gates,
gave freedom to the poor, crazed crea-
lures within the walls
Fear lent wings to their feet-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 back in time to see how,
with q leap and o roar, the hungry
flames pounced on the deserted build
ings, and, In one short moment, licked
up every trace of mans handiwork.
On and on, mile after mile Of dry
prairie slipping back from their swift
beating hoofs, sped the fleeing band.
! Anxious faces turned now and then
to see If they kept their start
from their evil pursuer. It wns
Carmen covering ON old Generals
broad back--Carmen, clinging with
clutch of despair to Jakc's shoul-
ders-who turned the oftenest. It
was Carmen who first noticed the short
distance-so terribly, hopelessly short
between them and the eddying flame
cloud was lessening. She shrieked
aloud in her terror, but Jake bade her
sternly: Take couragel It's only two
miles more to the riverl"
Only two milesl-but the pace was
telling. The work-weary and laden
ponies were already distanced by the
flying herd. Old General, with his
double burden, still kept his place in
tho 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 quar-
ter-to safetyl Could they make it,
The FIRE was pressing them closely; the
singing smoke blinded men and
horses; their skins parched and cracked
In the awful heat. Inch by inch Old
General lost his frontage; in vain Jake
piled the spur, in vain he swore and he
pleaded; the good old horse was spent
In one last, despairing glance back.
ward, Jake saw that the flames were
upon them; his brave beast still stag
gcred forward, but at that pace moth.
ing could save them. Garments face
was buried on his shoulder.
With parched lips the man muttered
eat least we die togetherv'
A wild scream ran through the pal
OF grass smoke. Old Tom on the river
bank heard It: "Ad,os. caro- mso, one
alone may be savedl"
The clinging arms relaxed; relieved
of the woman's weight, the horse
sprang forward.
For second her figure stood haloed
as her hair and light garments blazed
upwards; then tho swirling billows
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 smoldering q
his horse plunged into the Brazos. Ht
did not know that his comrades lifted
him gently up the opposite bank as the
FIRE swept TO tine waters edge and dice
into sullen darkness. But when he
came back to consciousness, then he
knew that Carmen had given her life
for him.-San Francisco Argonaut.