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

vent 70 ms feelings, but as 1t was, he
merely dropped upon the blanket and
began to examine the discarded man
acles.
"There are times" he muttered,
weakly, "when man who calls him
self man insists upon being mule.
This is one Of the times, and I'm the
man."
How was it done?" asked, kneel-
ing opposite him on Oches blanket.
Done" he replied; "there wasn't
anything to be done about IL All he
had to do was to get up and walk.
You know how slim he was? Well,
he's turned ont to be one Of those fel.
lows whose hands aren't particle
broader than their wrists. What do
you suppose they care about things
like these9" he added, rafting the
handouts viciously. ''While we were
sleeping here, like the gentle lambs
We are, he slipped his hands ont, mn.
tied the rope from his ankles and left,
taking the broncos along as mementos
OF o pleasant trip with FOOLS"
"Then let's follow him!"I exclaimed,
Isapiag IN; but the sheriff gripped me
lby thS ty6isers.
'T'm thankful" he said, earnestly,
"that 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
Is ISHS 3 NJ SA sSi s3 sEgss s sas
between the black walls I saw, with
horror, long, unbroken line OF leap.
ing fame. Extending the entire
width OF the bottom, Its dancing yell
low crest was just visible as it rose
over a long knoll lying in it's path.
How the fire started I do not know to
this day. Perhaps campers ON the
prairie had set IL going accidentally.
It could not have been burning
long, for else we sbould have noticed
the glare In the night sky. Complete
ly hidden by our walls until within
the last. few moments, the terrible
danger had crept Upon ts unQbsefved.
The FIRE wks already within 800
yards q g, AID the rough wind was
swaepihg II nearer with frightful RAJ
Pidity. There was no time to start 0
counter fire. The sheer walls on three
sides OF as blocked our retreat. Adeath
oftorture 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 SAFE us.
"This way, boys" he cried, sudden
ly, and 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 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 establishment
/ found myself looking into wolf.
burrow, perhaps 1S inches in diam
eter. At its other end, scarcely Is
feet away, l could see light. Some
enterprising coyote had dug a passage
through the narrow walf 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 -"
I lost the rest of the sentence as
with both arms extended in front OF
me I thrust my head aud shoulders
into the opening, and digging my toes
violently into the ground showed
myself forward almost my length.
There stucs fast. With no room to
bend my arms OF use my knees, was
helpless. Writhe and squirm as ]
would, ! could make no progress. In
despair / struggled back into the
basin.
IT feared II" said the sheriff, husk.
lily. IF we could use our elbows we
could make it, but as it is, God help
u.s."
| For some seconds we stood motion
less. The fire had advanced full sc
yards, and the Internal roar was buzz
ing in my ears when Pete suddenly
thrust out his hand toward the west
Opposite us, on the vergt Of the bluff,
was the rascally bandit, Oche. We
could see him distinctly in the in
creasing light. There he sat astrids
the colonel,s pony, stolidly watching
us and apparently finding ferociou'
Joy in our approaching destruction.
We had hardly time for thought