The Holly chieftain., 1898-02-18


.very we'll" The horses heads were
turned and the rivals went toward the
long line of leaping flames. each deter
mined to make the other weary OF his
Undertaking. On and on they rode,
the horses becoming wilder as each
Whit of the wind brought them a
stronger smell Of smoke.
Finally the Englishman began to fall
behind. lis horse was not SO unruly as
Borden's. and there seemed no reason
for his retrogression.
Come ca. Corvallis" cnlled the
ranchman. and the cut was felt by the
laggard.
Faster and faster rode the frontiers
man into the thick of the smoke and
was lost to the sight of his comrade.
With head bent low and dnotrilsshieided
IN the folds OF his cloak, he steered to-
ward the schoolhouse whose black form
rose out of the flames. 4
Finally the door was reached and
with a shout he called to the teacher.
Was she there? He remembered that
she had gone to the rear of the building
when the alarm was given. She might
have thought there was no danger in
staying in the schoolhouse.
He leaped from the horse. Into the
building he ran and to the rear. What
was that-a sobbing? Leaning over a
pile of curtains in the corner he took
from them bundle of humanity that
was very frightened and.very Thankful.
to see him.
rs it you, Lizzie ?'' he questioned.
1 "Yes-and Jimmie"
"Who is that?"
"The widows little lame boy. l
thought he would like the show and
brought him. He is too heavy to carry
and we had to stay here. What can we
ldo?"
For an answer the strong man lifted
the woman in one arm and the boy in
the other and rushed to The door
Throwing them to his saddle he bade
them cling for their lives. The fire was
already around the yard and was eat
ing its way to the building. The in
tense heat had made the shingles smoke
and in few minutes the whole struc-
ture would be pyramid Of blaze,
1t was no easy task to control "a wild
ard excited horse In the midst of a
fire and also see that two helpless
charges did not full from the back OF
the animal. But Borden with his SUI
perb mastery OF horsefiesh did ii, and
the gait that they took through the
wal! of fame was something marvellous
Had the riders been living a little near.
er to civilization they would have called
it, record breaker"
"Well, that was scorcher," re-
marked Borden, when they had come tc
a safe Place. Hello, who is that?" as
n solitary rider came out of the smoke
and approached them. .
"Bless me, il it amt Cornwallis'"
i, ''Wvo!" exclaimed the Englishman
wiping his eyes. II couldn't find the
schoolhouse or would have saved the
little school ma'am."
"Was it hot?'
"Awfully SO. l suppose ii is too lat.
now to do her any good"
"Oh, l don't know, Cornwai.is. Sh,
is here all right" and the form of Liz
zie came to the astonished eyes of til,
late arrival.
The Englishman looked sheepish fol
minute and then hit his horse with hi!
hand and started oil.
Say" called Borden, that littl'
. rivalry is settled now" And then t.
/ Lizzie: II knew that he was not hunt
ing that schoolhouse very hard. Yo'
. gave him the right character-that is
l the sid- that got licked!"
And Lizzie Dean agreed with him. 81
thoroughly was the defeat felt that tb
vanquished suitor did not even deigl
to come to the wedding-the dedication
event of the new schoolhouse that re
! placed the one destroyed by the fire
| Lizzie wanted it that way and Border
was willing to have it SO.
II don't know much about IT," he said
"but take it for granted that Washing
ton always pleased the ladies' when h
: could"
CHARLES MoREAU HARGER