Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-03

was conventionally long, almost sweeping
the ground. She had put up all her pretty
golden curls under a little black velvet nat
around which was long black plume:
Miss Jefferson looked like thunder cioud.
She had expected to see Honor Bright ride
in on her mustang and in the old black
calico habit skirt she usually wore. Gerald
smiled contentedly, and went to her imme-
diately with loving word, 80 there were
no tears In her heart to blind her eyes
when the test came.
The tournament began! Up and down,
round this way and back that. under the
cOppery sky, the ladies rode, then, at the
order, paused In front Of the judges stand.
The judges were undecided, SO they sent the
horses through their PAGES again. NO de-
cision. The ladies would please change
horses.
Honor Bright was off Kentucky in an In
slant, but most of the young ladies de-
INJURED Miss Jefferson declined to ride
anything but her own beautifully paced
gelding, which she had shipped from Bos-
ton for her summer visit at Star Cross
ranch. The contest narrowed on the change
to Honor and two other plains-bred girls,
but even they dared not mount Kentucky.
made Honor ride each of the six horses
entered Uncle Dick said that the judges,
who were all fond of Honor, did it to let
her show of.
AS Honor, with eyes flashing their joy,
got Off her last horse and was helped on
Kentucky again by Uncle Dick, she threw
her head back with a startled air and
asked him If he did not smell burning grass.
Uncle is 1t a prairie fire. do you Think!
Uncle Dick replied that it must be, for he
had noticed thin, dark line of smoke far
across the creek. 1T can't reach US. The
ranch Is safe, unless 1t leaps the Walnut,
he declared reassuringly.
Il was thinking of the school house" she
replied hurriedly, the judges called the
contestants School began in Gerald's dis
trict today, and his sister let her little
daughter go with Rose Williams" and
then she rode into the ring.
Uncle Dick looked at his watch. and
saw that it was about time for school to
close for the day, Then he looked over
to the north. The smoke was rolling up
black and thick. He could see an eating
line of red The was beginning to
look like a yellow haze and the air was
dense and heavy with the odor of burned
grass.
'If the wind should rise" he muttercd,
and just then puff lifted the broad brim
of his sombrero. He gaZed nervously over
the broad prairie between the fair grounds
and the ranch. If the wind veered a point
or two the school house would certainly
be in danger He heard great shout go
up. and turned just in time to see the
judge hand Honor a silver-mounted whip
and pair of gloves. She turned her head
to lool, for Gerald's approval and saw
the clouds of smoke rolling up viciously.
She brought the new whip down on the
TANKS of Kentucky, and, quivering with
fright, the blooded animal reached Uncle
Dick and Gerald in two leaps.
1.-The Centennial school housed! she
gasped, pointing with her whip.
Until that moment the prairie fire, so
common a thing with plains-bred people,
had not been noticed In an instant all
was confusion. Miss Jefferson screamed
and called Gerald to lift her off her horse
Mrs. Bridges, Gerald's sister, promptly
tainted, and his mother turned white. Ger
aid leaped from the buggy and went. not
fn Jefferson nES-
terically, but to Honor. He laid his hand
on the mares neck.
May 1 take her, Honor? Winona is
over there
Before he could touch her Honor slid
to the ground The saddle torn off
and mounting the quivering creature, Ger
aid gave her cut with the prize whip
which Honor thrust into his hand, and
he was off over the hill toward the fire,
followed by half a dozen men on horse
back.
Just then Honor heard whinny, and a
cold nose was thrust against her cheek
With a scream of joy she threw her arms
around Cyclones neck. The faithful little
mustang had broken his lariat rope and had
followed his mistress. Catching the trail
ing rope Honor tied it bride fashion in the
halter, then slipping out of the velvet rid
ing skirt and tearing off the long gaunt-
let's and the plumed hat, she jumped on
Cyclone.
painted, and away she flew.
Honor reached the school house first
Cyclone could outrun anything in the coun-
try and his owner saved him not at all
on that trip. The fire guard around the
school house was forty feet wide, and the
tea cher, with the assistance of the pupils,
had burned all the grass inside the guard
about the school house, so the pupils were
all perfectly safe
With a lightened heart, Honor asked for
Winona Bridges.
''she cried to go home SO let her start
about o'clock
'Idiotr she blazed. ITO let little city
bred six-year-old child go half a mile
across a prairie by herself Why, she isn't
tall enough to see above the blue-stem in
the buffalo wallows! and she dashed
away.
At the Star Cross ranch only the fright
eneo housekeeper appeared. Winona had
not come! Honor rushed into the house
and grabbed a handful of matches, then
out again. catching, as she ran, a couple
or blankets from pile that was airing on
the porch. She dipped the blankets in the
watering trough at the well as she ran by
then Jumped on Cyclone. throwing the drip
ping blankets over his withers, and was off
again before Mrs. Smith could gather her
wits sufficiently to ask what was the mat
ter.
The little mischief has gone down into
mat ravine where we found the baby rab-
DTS, and II the wind changes one point
more to the northwest we are doomed"
was Honor's gloomy thought, as she dug
49, iACcIo iIto cyclone streaming sides
ana sped on into the very jaws of death.
sure enough, as she neared the bank of
the raVine she saw head of damp darx
Gurls above pair of sturdy little shoulders,
Honor slid to the ground and gathered the
frightened waif in her arms 1t was too
late to ride away from the prairie fire. II
was nearly upon them. Honor was fairly
faint from exhaustion. but with almost
superhuman strength she pulled herself TO-
gether for the awful emergency She struck
cyclone a singing blow.
Go home If you cam she said, with a
SOB, and the frightened mustang fed before
the flames that were now hot upon them
ALL
Honor struck some matches and threw
them into the bottom of the ravine Down
over the hot embers, hands and feet blis-
tering, and the child in her arms screaming
in pain, Honor crept, dragging the wet
blankets with her. The oncoming flames
swept to the edge of the ravine and hun
grily licked up the bits of dry grass left
They singed Honor's hair, and nearly cook
ed her face. She could barely keep the
frantic child under the wet blankets and
could not save herself.
The roar and the crackle of the flames
died away toward the creek and the air
cooled a little and then came unconscious
ness
Just at dusk Gerald and his party found
them. Through the gathering gloom, the
crying of the little child had guided them,
at last to the right place, and not a bit too
N1Nn h bot bad