Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-09-09
OCHE, THE CHICKASAW.

Nout w HIS ieeiluBs, OUT Us IL was, ne
merely dropped upon the blanket md
began to examine the discarded man
acles.
'"There are times" he muttered,
weakly, "when man who calls him.
self man insists upon being a mule.
This Is one Of the times, and I'm the
man."
How was II donep" asked, kneel-
ing opposite him on Oche's blanket.
Done" he replied; there wasn't
anything TO be done about IL All he
had to do was 10 get up and walk.
You know how slim he was? Well,
he's turned ont TO be one OF those fell
Lows whose hands aren't particle
broader than their wrists. What do
you suppose they care about things
like these?" he added, rattling the
handouts viciously. "While we were
sleeping here, like the gentle lambs
we are, he slipped his hands out, I'M
tied the rope from his ankles and left,
taking the broncos along as mementos
| Of o pleasant trip with FOOLS"
"Then let's follow himl" exclaimed,
leapiig up; but the sheriff gripped me
BY the trousers.
'Tm thankful" he said, earnestly,
shat I'm not the only idiot in this
camp. a Why, you dummy, can't
you comprehend the difference be-
tween people on horses and people on
foot and 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
lsgp |;I = NJ ls sEi sg sEggss the the
between the black walls I saw, with
horror, long, unbroken line Of leap
ing flame. Extending the entire
width OF the bottom, its dancing yell
low crest was just visible as it rose
over long knoll lying in its path.
How the fire started / do not know to
this day. Perhaps campers on the
prairie had set II going accidentally.
II could not have been burning
long, for else We should have noticed
the glare In The night sky. Complete.
ly hidden by our walls until within
tho last. few moments, the terrible
danger had crept Upon Us unQbserved.
The fire vas already within 800
yardS Of as, apd tho rough wind was
sy1epiAg Il nearer with frightful ra.
Pidity. There was no time TO start o
counter fire. The sheer walls on three
sides Of US blocked our retreat. A death
Of torture was rushing straight at us
Pete and I stared at Colonel Bailey,
while In that awful moment the sheriff
stood, with bent head, thinking how
TO SAFE as.
"This way, boys" he cried, sudden
ly, and ran straight across the canon
toward the creek. We followed and
quickly reached the narrow bluff OPP
posite. The sheriff glanced rapidly
along It's base. He had seen such
formations before and 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 h wolf.
burrow, perhaps IL inches in diam
eter. AT its other end, scarcely 10
feet away, I could see light. Some
enterprising coyote had dug passage
through the narrow va to the creek
beyond.
''See IL 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 I thrust my head and shoulders
into the opening, and digging my toes
violently into the ground showed
myself forward almost my length.
There I stuch fast. With no room Il
bend my arms or use my knees. was
helpless. Writhe and squirm as
would, could make no progress. IL
despair struggled back into tho
basin.
1 4 tearcu ", shtu inc sueI liz MUSK
lily. eff we could use our elbows w
could make II. but as 1t is, God hell
u.s."
For some seconds we stood motion
less. The fire had advanced full 81
yards, and the internal roar was buzz
ing in my ears when Pete suddenl,
thrust out his hand toward the west
Opposite us, on the verg Of the bluff
was the rascally bandit, Oche. w
could sec him distinctly in the in
creasing light. There he sat astrid.
the colonel,s pony, stolidly watching
US and apparently finding ferocioul
Joy in our approaching destruction.
We had hardly time for thought
however, before Oche dropped to tn,