Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-16

her earnest remonstrances. She gave
dance in it 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 alleviated by dip
per of water from the schoolma ans
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 little figure. which his keen
eyes made out to be the schoolma am,
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' am was run
ming to save her hay land. He
chuckled to himself and pressed his
big roweled spurs to his pony's side.
The little schoolma 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 firei The
fire! What shall l do?"
what was you calculating to do?"
drawled Sowash, with easy insolence.
BLOW it out?"
She seemed to forget her fright in
her anger, and turning from him
without Il 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 leaped 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 supjec-
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
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
unflagging energy and increasingly
In spite of all he could do the ii ire
gained.
AS he paused for q 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 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 ne
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 it 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 tiogging the fire
with that garment with magnificent
vigor and effectiveness.
Sowash reprcssed with difficulty an
impulse to whoop.
1t was n work Of time even then,
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. II 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.
didn't know how it was that"
That l come without my coat?"
said Milt. well, don't say nothing
about that, either. l 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.
Milt took it in his and held il. The
best kind" he said, and there was SO
much friendliness in his look that
either by reason of the embarrass-
ment il caused her or because she
felt that he had been holding it long
enough, the little schoolma am with
drew her hand from his warm clasp
In spite of this, Sowash was rea.
sonably sure that there was no occa.
sion for him to be discouraged.-Chi
,,-o n,;l,, Nouo