Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-08-19
the llllmitable prairie.

ground, and here aud there along
the hard, dry walls clung an oc.
caslonal patch of stubbly buffalo
grass or slckly cluster of yellow
cactl. Certainly it was not a pret
spot, bat the tall banks were a
rampant against the chill hreezes
Of the northwest. and The basin
had long since been a favorite
haltiDg ground for travellers.
Ga this night, however, the wind
had veered round until it swept
uaresisted through the mouth OF
our three.walled fiat. All night
long its violence steadily increased,
and when the colonel wakened us
by loud shouts of "R)use. Rouse"
it was blowing a gale.
started up and began to draw
on my heavy boots. The colonel
was already making coffee over a
glowing heap of brush sticks. By
chance my eyes wandered to the
opposite side Of the basin, where
we had picketed our four broncos.
They were gone.
In blank amazement | pointed
to the spot. The colonel folIOwt d
tue direction of my gaze and un-
derStOOd. Then bv common I'M
pulse we ran to where his over
coat lay. He snatched it from the
ground. Beneath were a blanket,
piece of heavy rope and a pair
of locked handouts. Oche had |
gone, too.
Had the blow been Jess severe,
the colonel might have gwen eX-
presSlve vent to bis feelings, but as
1t was, he merely dropped upon the
blanket aud began to examine the
discarded manacles.
"There are times,' he mnttered,
weakly, "when a man who calls
himself n man insists upon being a
mule. This is enc of the times, and
Pm the man.
CHOW was it dOuei" ! asked,
kneehng opposite him on Oche's
blanket.
"Done," he replied; there wasn't
anything to be done about it. All
be had to do was to get mp and
walk. You know how sln he was?
Well, he's turned ont to be one Of
those fellows whose hands aren't
a particle broader than their
wrists. What do YOU suppose
they care about things like these!
be added, rafting the hand cuffs
viciously. "While we were sleep
ing here, like the gentle lambs We
are, he slipped his hands out, un-
tied the rope from his ankles aud
left, taking the broucOs along as
mementoS of a pleasant trip with
FOOLS"
"Then let's follow himw eX
claimed, lesping up; but the sheriff
gripped me by the trousers.
''l'm thankful" he said, earestly,
"that Pm not the only idiot in this
camp. Why, YOU dummy, can't
you comprehend the difference be.
tween people on houses and people
on foot, and don't"
Frozen Pete bad been quietly
but rapidly pulling on his boots,
buttOning his Jacket and Tightening
us Oeit. his uduuel was SOuCidl'
" so deliberate that now we both
started at him In surprise. My
view embraced the mouth of our
camping. ground and between the
black walls SAW, with borrow, a
long, snbrOken line of leapiDg
flame. Extending the entire width
of the bottom. its dancing yellow
crest was Just visible as it rose
over a long knoll lying in its pat
How the fire started DO not know
to this day. Perhaps campers On
the prairie had set it going acci
IDENTIFY.
1t could not have been burning
long, for else we should have no.
ticed the glare In the night sky.
Completely hidden by our walls
until within the last few moments,
the terrible danger had crept upon
os unObserved.
The fire was already within 300 |
Yards of us, and the rough wind
was sweeping it nearer with fright
ful rapIdity- There was 10 time
10 start a counter fire. The sheer !
walls on three sides OF Us blocked |
our retreat. A death of torture
was rushing straight at us.
Pete and started at Colonel
Bailey. while IN that awful mo
ment the sheriff stood, with bent
head, thinking how to save us.
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