Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-11

sioner-had been put up by bee of
kind-hearted young men in spite OF
her earnest circumstances. She gave
a dance in il when it was finished,
under Mother Lashabaugh's wing,
and very charming little hostess
she made. But that was the one
dance that Milt Sowash did not at
tend.
In fact, he did not go anywhere
near the claim until the early part
of the summer. Then he happened to
be hunting horses in that neighbor-
hood and was suddenly overcome
with burning thirst, which he
thought might be allcviatcd by a dip
per of water from the schoolma'ams
bucket. He was not supposed to Know
that it was her claim, and then there
wasn't one chance in million that
she would be there; so he absent
mindedly spurred his horse through
the limpid waters Of Elkhead and
took the canyon trail.
After all, he did not go up to the
house. The reason for that was that
as he gained the crest Of the hill he
saw a little figure, which his keen
running rapidly toward the head of
the canyon. At the same time a puff
Of hot wind brought to his nostrils
the smell of smoke. Then he under
stood that the grass was on fire and
that the little schoolma'a am was rum
ming to save her hay land. He
chuckled to himself and pressed his
big roweled spurs to his pony's side.
The little schoolma'a am heard the
sound of hoofs behind her and, Stop
ping turned white face and terror
widened eyes to Sowash as he rode
up.
"Oh!" she cried 1.-THE frel The
fire! What shall | do?"
What was you calculating to do?"
drawled Sowash, with easy insolence.
BLOW IL out?"
She seemed to forget her fright in
her anger, and, turning from him
without word, began to run on.
Sowash laughed and rode by her and
on to the long line of little, Pickering
flames that, driven by the light
breeze, licked up the dead grass
matted at the roots of the waving
green and left blackened wilder
ness behind. A hundred yards from
the line he leapcd from the saddle
and rapidly loosened the cinches and
threw it on the ground; then, Jerking
off the saddle blanket, he spread that
into convenient form and, trailing it
behind him over the fringe of the
fire, made for the place where it was
burning most fiercely. Here he had
to stop and beat the fire into subjec-
ton, and when this seemed accom-
plished to rush to another point and
fight there. 1t was in his favor that
the wind was not blowing strongly;
also the canyon here was narrow
a mere pass, where the grass ceased
at the foot OF barren slopes on either
hand. So there seemed to be some
hope. But that was always supposing
that he could WELD his blanket with
unaagging energy and increasingly.
In spite of all he could do the fire
gained
AS he paused for moment, gasp
ing with breath of pungent smoke
he felt touch on his arm. 1t was
the little schoolma am, and now her
eyes were shining with a look that
made Mills heart thump.
ITS no use" she said. stop now;
you've done all you can. Do stop"
Sowash laughed. A moment ago he
might have given up. But now! He
, shook off the clasp of her hand on
his arm, not urgently, and throwing
the blanket down, performed de-
,, moniacal dance along its length.
When he raised it the fire was
stamped out. Toward the hill an
other outbreak claimed his attention.
and he rushed at 1t and attacked it
furiously. Subduing it, he turned
back and then he saw something that
made him waste some valuable sec
onds of time in blank amazement
The little schoolma am had slipped
off her skirt and was fiogging the fire
with that garment with magnificent
vigor and effectiveness.
Sowash repressed with difficulty an
, impulse to whoop.
1t was a work Of time even then,
but eventually they gained the VIC
tory, and Sowash leading the pony
they went back to the house to-
gether.
II don't know what to say to thank
! YOU" said the little schoolma am, in
blushing fervor of gratitude.
Don't say nothing" returned So
+, +, wash, smiling down at her. Il want
! to say that you're all right"
"And II was rude to you when we
first met" she pursued. II have been
sorry since-very sorry, indeed. l
didn't know how it was that"
That l come without my coat?"
said Milt. well, don't say nothing
about that, either 1 guess we are
even now"
The blush deepened, although she
= had resumed the skirt.
"Well. we are friends at last" she
said, holding out her hand.
3 Milt took it in his and held It. THE
best kind" he said. and there was SO
= much friendliness In his look that
4 either by reason of the embarrass-
2 ment it caused her or because she
A felt that he had been holding II long
S enough the little sehoolma'am with
D drew her hand from his warm clasp.
a In spite Of this, Sowash was rea-
sonably sure that there was no occa-
sion for him to be discouragsd.-Chi-
\ | Nj