The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1903-11-20

her slowly. and carefully. The slacken-
ing Of the stun and siants sharp eyes
assured US she was safely on the
ground, sand again the sword grated
across the web. Siani bounded out OF
the window and slid nimbly down the
line attached to the ceiling.
I followed as soon as / saw her dark
figure alight in a heap on the turf.
The distance was no more than enough
Ito make my hands burr with the fric-
ton Of the swift passage, n / dropped
on my feet like a cat. I found Siani's
knife already out and cutting the. web
from Ends waist. ss
AS she drew it away, I swung up the
tall, slender form and made off swiftly
up the hill. l ram for perhaps 500
yards, then stopped. We were clear OF
and Siani, painting with her, o
sprang againsto her nlinistrations. She
swept her hands owe the grass heavily
laden with dew, and Wetted her mis-
tress's hands and brow. In a few no.
ments a long, f1uttering sigh and q
slight movement filled us with delight,
Then Enid started, and said, ooh,
where am I?' f
Safe, dearest" I whispered; "Siani
and I are here. No else"
How did 1 come here?" she cried.
II must not leave the house, Owain-p
Look" said I, and took her hand.
III. From our present position we could
see the eastern front Of Nant-y-Bryn.
A dozen windows had splintered in the
heat Of the furnace roaring up within,
and great clouds Of tawny, fire-stainea.
smoke eddied into the night. Then u
fcurIed darling tongues of red n yell
low flame, leaping higher and higher,
and throwing dancing CLEANS even as
far as we stood.
Fire" she said. N~ant-y-Bryn ison
fire. oh, my brother. Oh, Owain!"
break.
A knot Of .yelling figures flew toward
us, dark against the fierce red light
of the burning house. I drew my
sword, and the tinkle Of steel caught
Ends ear. She checked her sorrow
with a great effort.
.sAnd ] am imperiling your lives"
Save yourselves"
I returned my sword to its scab-
bard.
1T is no attack said I. "'Tis but a
plump of fugitives from the house"
Long before the band reached US 1t
melted away, rushing apart from each
other, ones and twos, scattering in the
I whistled loud and shrilly. then
again and again, but there was no sign,
of Whitesock.
",She won't be far away II she's un-
hurt" said L. Round the southeastern
angle came a band Of ponies, gallop-
ing, whinnying, throwing up their
their heads to sniff the smoke. They
had been turned on the hillside to
Craze, and had been attracted and ex-
cited by the fire, and were now dashing
wildly about the burning house. Can
tering easily at their heels came White
sock. I gave a sigh of relief and whis-
tied once more. She flew to me
straight as an arrow. At sight OF the
ponies. Siani ran toward them at the
top of her speed calling 'Berro! Ber-
ro!n
took the saddle-bags and swung
them across Whitesock's quarters, then
begged Enid to mount and ride.
And you?" h asked.
II intend to walk for the present"
I replied, "and at that pace it will be
easy for Q to sit my saddle"
I shortened a stirTup to the right
length for her and swung her up. AS
I did so,%the soft thud of q pony'ssfeet
upon the turf came closer, and UP rode
fSiani on her Drown mountain pony
Berro, whom she had captured from
amoung the herd.
LMt w WCIC INV 4lld1Sl1A1iS oAAClp ~
Siani led the way over the open noun
tain.
where away, now, Slani?' I asked.
ITO Maengwyn," she replied, about
v miles over4the mountain. A good,
safe place to stop this night"
In which directton?"
TT the east" said she.
Good" / answered, for our future
must be eastward, and we
pushed on up the long. smooth slope
AT the crest we paused and looked
back. The eastern and southern faces
OF Nant-y-Bryn We're spouting flame at
every opening. Every room was pam
elled and foored with wood, old and
dry, and the fire had made swift head
way. Goodby to Nant-y-Bryn! The
country bout rang with the cries and
furnace. OF pursuit there was none
AS I found afterward, the Red Men of
the Dusk, having broken and scattered
enemies, surrendered themselves
to the joy Of plundering those parts of
the house last reached by the fire.
It was Enid who gave the signal to
nov With a last, long look at the
grim old house, now a glowing, fiery
blot on the night, and her brothers.
Whftesock stepped forward. Half a
dozen strides carried Is below the
and we were alone in the night.
II walked at the mares head, and, for
the first time in her life, Whitesock
marched easily and contentedly with
another than myself on her back.
You see," said /. this of itself is a
good omen. Whitesock understands
A sudden %nickering and whinnying
broke out behind us, I'M Siani's pony
answered at once.
What is that?" / asked.
1T is the gray pony of my mistress"
answered Siani. "He is not easy to
but he will follow Berro every
where
That's lucky" said I: I'VE shall be
furnished then with mounts, and no
more ado. But we'll spend no time
with him now. Let him follow to our
destination, and it will be easy to take
then"
Within hall an hour again, a red
moon came up ard put out the stars,
and we marched ywiftly by her ample
light over the dewy grass and by stony
hill-tracks, until Maengwyn was
reached.
CHAPTER XxvI.
OVER THE HILLS TO ENGLAND.