Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-02-17

the fame-lighted plain. Two men
found themselves side by side quarter
of mile from the building, each on his
broncho and each gaIloping toward the
north.
AS they mounted a little swell in the
prairie the blaze lighted their faces.
From each came an exclamation: Dor
deni" "Glade!"
81 thought you were with her." de-
manded the former, angrily.
81 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 Englishmain 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 a question:"
pleaded the other.
''It is just that sort Of a question
There is a chance for the one who rides
into that blaze to come out ahve-and
only a chance. It will be at the school
house in moment, and the race there
is no small thing in itself, even if the
horses will take it,
Well go together" after little
thought.
every we'll" The horses heads were
TUNED 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 a.
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 schoo1house whose black form
rose out of the flames.
Finally the door was reached and
with a shout he called to the teacher.
Was she there? He 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 a
pile of curtains in the corner he took
from them a bundle of humanity 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. L
thought he would like the show and
brought him. He is too heavy to carry
and we had to stay here. What can we
do?"
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 babe
| 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 4 few min the whole struc-
| ture would be pyramid of blaze.
1t was no easy task to control 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 SUI
perb mastery of horsefiesh did it, and
| the gait that they took through the
wall of flame was something marvellous.
Had the riders been living little near
er to civilization they would have called
| it record breaker"
"Well, that was scorcher," re-
| marked Borden, when they had come to
a safe place. Hello, who is that?" as
a 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
schoolhouse or I would have saved the
! little school ma'am.'
''Was it hot?"
lawfully so. I suppose it is too late
now to do her any good"
| ooh, I don't know, CORVALLIS. She
is here all right and the form of Liz
zie came to the astonished eyes of tie
late arrival.
/ The Englishman looked sheepish fol
minute and then hit his horse with his
hand and started off.
Say called Borden, that little
| rivalry is settled now.' And then tc
Lizzie: II knew that he was not hunt
| ing that schoolhouse very hard. You
gave him the right character-that is
the side that got licked!"
And Lizzie Dean agreed with him. Sc
| thoroughly was the defeat felt that the
vanquished sutton did not even deigr
| to come to the wedding-the dedication
event of the new schoolhouse that re
placed the one destroyed by the fire
Lizzie wanted it that way and Border
4 T. a,x-