Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-05-25

his TANKS were white Alice leaned for
ward in the saddle, as she urged him on,
and stroked his neck.
A moment more and they We're at the
creek, shallow stream. Beyond, Alice
could see 4 low house silhouetted against
a great red bank of flame. The fire was
coming Already she could feel the in
tense heat. \ leap and a bound; they
were over the stream and on again with
still swifter flight. 1t was a matter of
seconds now until the low sod house was
reached. In front Of it was the Russian
peasant woman, frantically trying to save
some of her household goods by dragging
them with one hand further from the
course of the fire, while in one arm she
clutched the baby, around which she had
thrown a wet shawl to protect it from
the heat.
''Why didn't you run?' cried Alice, as
she jumped from the horse; don't you see,
the fire is almost on you? You can't save
your things; run for the creek Run, [
say: or you'll be burned to death"
Alice grabbed the child from the wom-
ans arms and sprang up into the saddle
as best she could The woman stood as
if Stupefied. the red glow from the coming
flames lighting up her stolid face. The
fire was coming on faster now; they could
hear the roar and crackle as it swept
through the long, man-high grass of the
swale beyond the fence.
"Quick! quick, say! no, you can't run
fast enough now to get to the creek; jump
all be burned. | can't leave you here tG
die.'
The woman's stOlid nature was reused
at last by the animal fear of danger, and
while the heat grew more intense every
instant, she clambered up behind Alice.
Prince Halls face was toward the fire.
He had not moved since he reached the
no FIN
statue, his body motionless, his ears
sharp erect. his nostrils distended; the
awful fascination of the ire was upon
him.
Alice pulled at the bit to turn him. He
paid no attention. She spoke sharply, but
from the spot. Swifter than an electric
shock came the thought to her mind that
horses i'll burning buildings would stay
and die in the flames before they would
be led out. 1t would be impossible to
reach the creek on foot; in half q minute
more the flames would be on them. Grab
bling the wet shawl from the baby with
one hand, and swinging the child back
ward to its mother with the other, she
threw the shawl over the horses head.
With the sight of the fire shut out he
quivered, turned as the bit gave him a
sharp twist, and, just as the flames were
eaping over the sheds hard by the house,
1AI SpldIiS oN
It was a race for life now-for three
lives; for the wind had increased to a
gale, and there IS nothing more terrible
in this world than such a relentless ocean
of fame as was rolling over the grass
grown plain.
Alice thought of Jim's parting advice.
L He's never been licked in his life; but,
If you have ter, give it to him red-hOtr'
With a sharp cry, urging the horse on
under his heavy burden, she struck him
with all her strength on the quiyering
flank, not once, but many times. He
jumped as if stung by a rattlesnake, and.
Selling the bit in his teeth, sprang away
as if shot from some mighty catapult.
Alice had lost all control of him now.
She could neither guide nor check nor
urge him. The blood of noble ancestry,
the blood Of racer, was on fire in his
veins. Down the short hill, over the
brook, up the farther side, on over the
plain like some wild spirit of the night
he ran. A cheer that you could have
heard a mile, and that, mayhap, was
heard clear up to the stars of heaven,
rang out as Prince Hal, white with foam,
flew by the crowd of men.
"Wa'al, eff you amt the Quickest gal.'
said Jim, as he helped Alice from the
saddle; AN you amt agoin' ter faint,
| nuther; kin tell it by your eye. Didn't
[ tell you he could outrun a cyclone
But there had ter be somebody atop o
him who knew how ter de.''-The indie
pendent.