Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1903-09-18
Birds few past overhead with terrified

Starting about half way along the side
Of the cleared piece of ground, MIR. Har-
dy set the dry grass alight. For mo-
ment or two it burned slowly, and then,
famed by the wind, it gained force, and
spread in a semi-crcle Of flame.
The horses were already unpicketed,
and half of the party held them at
short distance in the rear, while the rest
stood in readiness to extinguish the fire
if it crossed the cleared space.
Over and over again the fire crept par
TALLY across-for the clearing had been
done but roughly-but it was speedily
stamped out by the heavy boots of the
watchers.
The spectacle as the fire swept away
before the wind, was fine in the extreme.
The party seemed inclosed between two
walls of fire. The main conhagration
were already falling among them, and
the sound Of the fire was like the hiss of
the surf upon pebbly beach.
Now" Mr.. Hardy said, forward with
the horses. Every one to his own ami
nal. Put your ponchos over your own
heads as well as your horses"
In another minute the party stood clus-
tered upon the black and smoking ground
which the fire they had kindled had
swept clear. There, for five minutes, they
remained without moving, unscOrched by
the raging element around them, but
half-choked with the smoke.
Then Mr.. Hardy spoke: st is over
now. You can look up"
There was a general expression of as
tonishment as the heads emerged from
their wrappers, and the eyes recovered
sufficiently from the effects of the blind
ing smoke ~ look round. Where had the
fire gone? Where, indeed! The main
confagration had swept by them, had
divided in two when it reached the
ground already burned, and these col
umns, growing further and further asun-
der as the newly kindled fire had widen
ed, were already far away to the right
and left, while beyond and between them
was the fire that they themselves had
kindled, now two miles wide, and already
far in the distance.
The fires in the pampas, although they
frequently extend over a vast tract Of
country, are seldom fatal to life. The
grass rarely attains height exceeding
three feet, and burns out almost Ike SO
much cotton. A man on horseback, hav-
ing no other method of escape, can, by
blindfolding his horse and wrapping his
own face in a poncho, ride fearlessly
through the wall of fire without damage
to horse or rider.
At daybreak they were soon in the sad
die and on their way. They had many
an hours ride before they came upon the
trail They followed it all that day. To
wards sundown one Of the gauchos told
Mr.. Hardy that he knew that at a short
distance further to the west there was q
spring Of water much used by the In
dians. Finding that it was not more
than half an hours ride, Mr.. Hardy, af-
ter a brief consultation, determined to
go over there to water the horses and
breakfast, before retracing their foot
steps across the burned prairie.
In little over the time named they
came to small pool of bright water
from which little stream issued run
ming nearly due north across the plain
After drinking heartily themselves, and
filling the water skins and kettle, the
horses were allowed to drink; and Dash
plunged in with the greatest delight,
emerging with his usual bright chestnut
color, whereas he had gone into the
water perfectly black.
After he had come out and shake him
self, he commenced hunting about, sniff
fling so violently that Hubert's attention
was attracted. Presently the dog ran
orI 4
bark Of pleasure, and Hubert, running
forward, gave SO loud a cry that all the
party rushed up.
Hubert could not speak. There, half
buried in the ground, and pointing west,
was an Indian arrow, and round the
head was twisted piece Of white calico,
with little blue spots upon it, which Mr..
Hardy instantly recognized as a piece of
the dress Ethel had worn when she left
home.
"Oh, papa, papa" cried Hubert "I
know this arrow!'
Know the arrow" he repeated.
'Yes, am quite, quite sure know It.
Don't you remember, Charley, the day
that those wounded Indians started. as
we were taking the quivers down to them
l noticed that one arrow had two feath-
ers which l had never seen before. and
could not guess what bird they came
from. They We're light blue. with Grim
son tip. l pulled one off to compare 1t
with my others. 1t is at home now. I
remember that l chose the one l did be-
cause the other one had two Of the little
side feathers gone. This is the feather.
| can almost solemnly declare, and YOU
see the fellow is gone. That arrow be-
longs to one Of the men we recovered"
All crowded round to examine the ar
row, and Mr.. Hardy said solemnly:
Thank God for His mercy. He has de-
cided our way now. Undoubtedly. as
Hubert says. one OF the men we aided
Is of the party and wishes TO show hia