The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-13

Yes, and somehow feel it was wrong.
Of course every negro is away in town
Christmasing. They ought to have been
back hours ago, but 1 have not heard
the wagons"
''ListenI I love to hear them singing
themselves homeI It is the most Christ
masy sound of ALL" Susanna said lightly
incnning her head. In front of them
three overlooking wagons were strain
ing and creaking down a long, gentle
slant, their teams full trot. their spring
less bodies jouncing and Gathering ac-
cOmpa niment to the chanting of their
occupants. The chant was full of min
ors, with wailing under key-the lead
er of it stood upright at the foremost
wagon front, f1inging across the nights
gray brilliance his weird, wordless dron-
ing.
'.Those are not Pen-Drayton teams
our boys are behind-waiting to be the
very last-they feel it shows they have
had more money to spend" Bruce said,
after listening a second. Come! We
must ride fast" he went on. 1T would
save an hour almost to go through Pen
Drayton gates, but that is what we can
not let ourselves do
The high road ran away from the two
| houses. As they gained the top of the
slant, the very last place from which
Pen-DraytOn was visible, as by one i'm
pulse both turned and looked back. And
as they turned, two things smote them
hard-from Woodstock way, the batter
ing thud of hoofs, falling al the gallop;
from Pen-Drayton a squirt of smoky
flame high on the peaked tip of its
You have been missed. Col Drury is
coming for you.' Bruce said, wheeling
his horse.
Pen rayton is on fire." Susanna
spoke in the same breath, also wheel
| ing.
Bruce caught the reins. Go on to
the court house. 1 will meet you when
I have seen my uncle SAFE he said.
DIT h nd
and said, over her shoulder, as she set
Low Light at the fence: We've
must go together, and quickly, else we
need not go at all"
Bruce knew the house was finder dry,
and the wind was half a gale. The fire
had, no doubt, caught at the top from
a spark among the pigeons nests clus-
tered on the chimney shoulder. 1t would
eat down only little slower than it
might have famed up. Already the
light of it illumined angrily the attic
windows. The story below must be
thick with smoke How long before the
acrid smother would be filling the
ground floor, where an old man, spent
and piteous, lay alone and belfast?
There were two miles to ride, going as
the crow flies. FREELY. Bruce's chest
nut, led in every hunt, but he was no
faster, no better fencer than Low-Light.
Together the two crashed over the road
side fence; together they settled to rum
ming across the snow-glossed grass. II
a quarter of a mile in front fall fallows
began, frozen and firm now, but so rigid
as to make dangerous footing. Bruce
was tempted to strike quartering and
cross the wheat fields-the land was
level there. but so light a galloDing
beast might well break through the
frozen crust A look at the house kept
him straight in the course-the volley-
ing smoke was fiame-lit now, streaming
in broad. lurid banners, and dropping
momently nearer to earth.
Hold hard and keep her head upi"
Bruce. shouted to Susanna as they took
the fence between grassland and fallOw.
He almost smiled to see Low-Light ser
herself across the burrows ouartering.
thus coming down firmly on the ridges
and missing the hollows between. Fire
Fly was a master of that trick-the pair
were as well matched their riders.
| Neck and neck they held to it, then
hoOfS beating an even rythm upon hard
earth. Bruce and Susanna lost all sense
of time, of pursuit, of everything, in
deed, save that they must win this race
with death or else hold themselves muir.
i derers. The horses ran upon blood and
courage-neither had felt the sting of
whip or spur
They were at the last fence. Beyond
there was only the orchard and the dim
stretch of lawn. Towering flames made
all the space as light as day. AS the
| horses went over. side b5r side. the roof
| of the west wing fell in with a crash,
sending fountain of sparks and glow
ing brands high against the sky. One OF
the brands, still scorching hot, struck
Bruce in tie face He sank both spurs
to the rowels. not in the hope of better
speed. but because he must do some
thing FREELY answered the spur
game1y. but do what he would Low
Light hung at his quarter. Her nose
was ct his flank when he breasted the
lawn WALL and felt his reins fall slack
as his master 1eaDed from the saddle.
Inside dusk and drear Pen-Drayton a
man had been battling nightly with his
own SOUL Bruce Drayton the elder did
not know how to be afraid, even thus in
the face of dreadful DEATH He had heard
the flames, at first stealthily licking, then
cracking defiance, then roaring madly
triumphant, at his stanch roof-tree tim
bers. Without help he was homeland
what help could come in time? He had
lain all through the deadly quiet since
his nephew had left him. listening acute
ly for far road noises and the Christmas
Growing of the cocks But he had heard
without comprehendings wrapped in his
own isolation.
Bruce was Drayton all through. He
had let that girl of Drury's-or was it his
own way?-stand for more than the Dray-
ton fortune. The old man had almost