The Forrest City times., 1898-02-18


ror from score of horses throats.
Quickly the people rushed from their
seats and to the windows and doors.
What they saw was something that is
Ecver without its message of alarm for
the ranchman and the settlcr-the
prairie was on fire.
In an instant almost the house was
emptied. The women were crying and
the men were trying to calm the fright
ened horses. One by one the wagons
were hurrying off, the owners anxious
to get home or at least out of the reach
of the danger.
Ii was high time.
Like sea of flame the onrushing
blaze was sweeping across the dry sod,
licking up the long grass of the ravines
and making quick work of the crisp
covering of the higher lands. The wind
had risen and was bringing the attack
ing army onward with rapid pace.
There was no chance for the school
house to escape. In scrambling, push
ing mass the people left the place and
their wagons and horses were dotting
the fame-lighted plain. Two men
found themselves side by side quarter
OF mile from the building, each on his
broncho and each galioping toward the
forth.
AS they mounted little swell in the
prairie the blaze lighted their faces.
From each came IN exclamation: Dor
den!" "Glade!"
Il thought you were with her." de-
manded the former. angrily.
II thought you were the one"
| For an instant the two men glared
at each other and then the test came.
Borden looked straight in the face of
the Englishman and then at the sea of
flame sweeping up from the south and
whose breath was hot in their faces.
WELL" he demanded, (which shall
| it be? This is the time to prove which
is the true representative of bravery"
"Oh, it's not that sort of question" :"
pleaded the other.
1T is just that sort of a question.
There is chance for the one who rides
into that b.aze to come out alive-and
only chance. 1t will be at the school,
| house in a moment, and the race there
is no small thing in itself, even if the
horses will take it."
Wen go together" after q little
thought.
Very WELL" 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. His horse was not so unruly as
Borden's, and there seemed no reason
for his retrogression.
Come on, Corvallis" called 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 notrils shielded
in the folds of his cloak, he steered to-
ward the schoolhouse whose black form
rose out of the flames.
Finally the door was reached and
with shout he called to the teacher.
Was she there? lie 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
pile of curtains in the corner he took
from them bundle of huma nifty that
was very frightened and very thankful
to see him.
us it you, Lizzie ?" he questioned.
"Yes-and Jimmie"
"Who is that?"
"The widows little lame boy. |
| thought he would like the show and
brought him. He is too heavy to carry
and we had to stay here. What can we
doY'
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 a few minutes the whole struc-
ture would be pyramid of blaze.
1t was no easy task to control a wild
and excited horse in the midst of a
fire and also see that two helpless
charges did not fall from the back of
the animal. But Borden with his su-
perb mastery of horsetlesh did it. and
the gait that they took through the
wall of flame was something marvellous
Had the riders been living a little near
er to civilization they would have called
il record breaker"
"Wen, that was a scorcher," re-
ma rked Borden. when they had come to
safe place. Hello. who is that?" as
solitary rider came out of the smoke
and approached them.
"Bless me, if it amt Cornwallis!"
Wool" exclaimed the Englishman.
wiping his eyes. II couldn't find the
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