The Monitor-register., 1896-10-02

saddle upon his back.
As he drew the girths he saw that the
horses in the corral were massed before
the entrance, trembling, terrified, 2
to be let out. When he drew back the
gate there was q mad rush for the open.
ing, the crash of yielding posts, and with
a roar and clatter they were out and past
him. Boots climbed into the saddle and
followed hard upon their heels, with the
shrill, ZIP! Zip! Yip!" which he had
learned from the cowboys.
He felt hugely relieved, now that they
were under way. The herd ran we'll
together for a space, but once fairly in
the open, a sudden panic seized the lead.
ers; a knot of them broke away from the
rest and bore off to the right in a half
circle. For a moment, which stretched
out into an eternity, Boots thought he
had lost control of the herd. He grew
sick at heart, for be knew that the only
chance of saving the band lay in keeping
it punched.
He spurred to the lead of the detached
column, galloped to the flank of a huge
white leader and headed him sharply
down the creek, by plying the lash fierce.
Iy. The Others swept together and came
On behind.
They ran wildly for a stretch, but
gradually, as the pace began to tell,
their speed slackened. until at last they
settled into a long, ranging stride that
carried them over the ground wonder.
fully.
Boots dropped to the lear and facing
half round in the saddle gazed furtively
backward.
A streak of red, showing dimly through
the smoke, marked the position of the
fire. 1t was already far out upon the
plain that fell away from the foot of the
VOLTS Teeth. 1t was gaining fresh
Roadway every moment, as it caught the
full sweep of the wind. 1t was coming
upon them at a fearful rate.
Boots heart sank as he noted this, but
he nerved himself again with a grim
resolve to bring the herd through, cost
what it might. He faced once more to
the front and gripped the sides of his
horse for the ride ahead. Something of a
fierce exultation stirred him as he felt the
play OF those grand muscles beneath him,
and bending low, be laid his face close to
the hairy neck and spoke to his horse
above the wind and the pounding of
hoofs. Thus, on, on they went in the
gray light of the morning, through the
smoke and through the dust.
Two miles, three miles. five miles with
out q pause, at The same sweeping gallop.
Half the distance to McFarlane's had
been covered. At length Boots began to
feel that the pace was telling hard. The
whole, first shaken by terror, were blow
ing heavily; the weaker animals were
already showing signs of distress. Their
TANKS heaved violently, and their pace
became ~momentarilly more labored.
Boots drew rein and for a space allowed
the band to break into a trot, that they
might get their wind for the stretch still
before them.
The air, meanwhile, had grown dense
with smoke. The reddish line shone
faint and blurred, as through a mist; but
from its position Boots judged the fire
was close upon the horse camp. Perhaps
at that moment the shanty was in flames.
The fame was gaining speedily, mile by
mile.
Again he urged the herd into a gallop
and they went on, ON down the creek,
always down the creek. The herd was
doing grandly now. Above the whist
ling of the wind there came to his ears
the steady beat of trampling hoofs and
the deep, regular breathing of his own
beast, as he filled his great lungs to the
utmost Yet try as be would to deceive
himself, Boots could not but see that it
was effort.
Slowly, n by one, the feebler animals
began to weaken and drop behind. He
shouted hoarsely to spur them on, but his
voice was smothered In the roar Of the
who'd. He laid on the lash cruelty, saw
agely, until his arm dropped in pain to
his side for a short rest; but this was of
small avail. their strength was almost
spent. He himself was faint, exhausted
and ready to cry at his own helplessness.
But. all at once, a great cry of gladness
came to his lips. There, to the front, not
a mile away. he saw the outlines of a
huge purple butte looming up through
the smoke. At the foot of that butte lay
McFarlane's ranch and shelter.
With fresh courage he goaded on the
laggards. They strained up the slope
and topped the crest. Again Boots
glanced back. The fire was close upon
them now; the wind was warm and
heavy with smoke. A sullen, roaring
sound filled his ears, mufled, ~far-off, like
the rush of wind through a forest.
A flock of prairie birds went whizzing
by, and q lank coyote passed at the top
of his speed. The poor brutes were
staggering with exhaustion, their breath
came in short, convulsive gasps. They
pitched down the slope with quick, jerky
strides, as though every step were to be
heir last.
As Boots neared the house he looked
snxiously for the approach of aid. Surely
McFarlane must have observed his com-
ing. But upon closer view he was struck
with the ~lifeless aspect of the place. He
rode mp to the house, shouting loudly.
There was no response; MoFarlane must
be away-had driven bis little bunch of
stock across the river, perhaps to render
its safety doubly sure. There was no
choice open; Boots must take his chances
a.one. The grass had been cropped
fairly short in the vicinity Of the ranch.
This was the only protection against fire.
Hastily he drove the weary brutes into
an angle formed by the stable and a line
of sheds and crowded them closely to-
gether. They stood there with lowered
heads, gasping for wind, their tanks
sunken, while the sweat fell drip, drip to
the ground.
Then with a mighty, roaring sound
and a cracking as Of a thousand muskets,
the fire swept up over the ridga In front
ana was upon them. Nerveless, weak
with terror, Boots watched it ooming-he
aeemed so unsupported, so helpless. little
fellow, alone as he was. He felt himself
Keeling In the saddle, but clung on
grimly.
The air WAS ~stif1in0 hot HAT +h.+