Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1898-08-12

Nou tohAlithtuN tue uiUtTtlNe De-
tween people ON horses and people on
foot, aud don't"
Frozen Pete had been quietly but
rapidly pulling on his boots, button
ing his jacket and Tightening his belt.
His manner was generally so deliber-
ate that now we both stared at him in
surprise. NV view embraced the
mouth Of our camping ground, and
between the black walls | saw, with
horror, long, unbroken line of leap
ing fame. Extending the entire
width of the bottom, its dancing vel
low crest was just visible as il rose
over long kuoll lying in its path.
How the fire. started do not know to
this day. Perhaps campers on the
prairie had set it going accidentally.
1t could not have been burning
long, for else we shoald have noticed
the glare in the night sky. Complete
ly hidden by oar walls until within
the last few moments, the terrible
danger had crept upon us unobseryed.
The fire was already within 800
yards OF us, and the rough wind was
sweeping it nearer with frightful ra-
pidity. There was no time to start a
counter fire. The sheer walls on three
sides Of us blocked our etreat. A death
of torture was rushing straight at us.
Pete and | stared at Colonel Bailey,
while in that awful moment the sheriff
stood, with bent head, thinking how
to save us.
This way, boys" he cried, sudden
ly, aud ran straight across the canon
toward the creek. We followed and
quickly reached the narrow bluff op-
posite. The sheriff glanced rapidly
along its base. He had seen such
formations before aud hoped to find a
hole through the wall
| was by his side when we reached
a spot where the tall grass had been
worn down. He stopped, dropped on
one knee and then pulled me bodily
to the ground. To my astonishment
/ found myself looking into wolf
burrow, perhaps is inches in diam
eter. At its other end, scarcely 10
feet away, l could see light. Some
enterprising coyote had dug n passage
through the narrow wall to the creek
beyond.
See if it's wide enough for you,
boy" cried the colonel: maybe we
can get through, maybe not. If we
can't -"
! lost the rest Of the sentence as
with both arms extended in front of
me l thrust my head and shoulders
into the opening, aud digging my toes
violently into the ground / showed
myself forward almost my length.
There [ stuck fast. With no room to
bend my arms or use my knees, was
helpless. Writhe and squirm as |
would, | could make no progress. In
despair | struggled back into the
basin.
Il feared it, " said the sheriff, husk-
lily. 'lf we could use our elbows we
could make it, but as it is, God help
us"
For some seconds we stood motion
less. The fire hal advanced full 90
yards,aad the internal roar was buzz
ing in my ears when Pete suddenly
thrust out his hand toward the west.
Opposite us, on the verg OF the bluff,
was the rascally bandit, Oche. We
could see him distinctly in the in
creasing light. There he sat astride
the colonel's pony, stolidly watching
US and apparently finding ferocious
Joy in onr approaching destruction.
We had hardly time for thought,
however, before Oche dropped to the
ground. Holding the lariat coiIed in
his hand, he cut il from the broneo's
neck aud sprang to the edge of the
bluff at a point where the wall was
slightly less steep. Instantly he
squatted down, lurched his weight for
ward and slid down the bank into the
basin below. The descent was almost
as rapid as fall, but Oehe reached
the bottom unframed, and springing
TO his feet he came bounding toward
us, his lank, wiry body shooting far
through the air at every leap.
The act OF the bandit in dropping
from safety 10 apparent death utterly
bewilderel us. In the nature Of
things it would not be to attack us.
The roaring Of the ilames grew louder,
we could hear the cracking of the
tall, crisp grass, yet we could only
stand and stare.
The Indian presently reached us.
Throw away guns = hats !" he
cried.
''Do it, boys" commanded the
colonel, and as Frozen Pete threw
down his belt, pistol and sombrero
Oche pushed him PROSTATE to the
earth. Pete fell just in front Of the
burrow, and Oche sliding past him,
strung the lasso on the grass. Pete
unders'1o and grasped the rope near
its centre, while 0che, dropping full
length upon the ground, wriggled his
naked body into the burrow Thanks
to his extreme slenderness and to his
Indian blood he crawIed through the
tunnel with all the dexte ity of an
animal. Holding one end Of the lariat
at his back ne drew the slack rapidly
after him, and in less than a minute
he stood on the narrow strip beside
the creek.
Pete erawled into the tunnel as far
as bis own exertions would permit, and
now the Indian, drawing the ropo
TAFT, pulled him along with all the
strength of his 1.-THE body. Twisting
and turning. the cowboy scraped safely
through.
The colonel grabbed the end of the
rope which had almost disappeared in
the burrow. aud running back with it
10 feet be ordered me to go before
him. The fire was within SO yards Of
us. The wind drove sparks and smoke
against our faces. = 1t was no time for
chivalrous Difference.
Dropping to the earth grasped the
lariat as Pete had done and was trying
TO compress my bulk Just little
when l feltmyself ierked forward with
yigor which told ne that Oche and