The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-11-18
A RACE
WITH DEATH
By JOLIET LA SALE
tcopyrishs, iss, By Daily Story Pub. Coz
g. JUST a plain, unadulterated

idiot"
This announcement James Fairbairn
confidently made to himself. Though
uttered aloud 1t was necessarily to him
self, for he was riding over billowy
prairie, and besides himself and his
horse and a saucy prairie dog that
watched him nervously so feet away,
there was no sign Of life anywhere.
"Yes, an idiot" he repeated, solemn
ly. Nobody but an idiot would ride
out to see her to-day. even IL he did
know that she was alone, after she
had told him she did not want him to
come again"
She" was Eunice Whitworth, and
she lived with her father and mother
on a farm eight miles from the South
Dakota village Of Elburn.
AS he upbraided himself his horse
had without his notice taken a turn to
the left of the road and was cropping
the long grass, Drowned by long sea-
son of drouth and hot suns. When he
noticed this he jerked the horses head
back to the road and then looked about
him.
"Whewi" he whistled. A thick bank
of smoke was spread over the horizon
ahead of him. and its smell came faint
ly down the breeze, which was waxing
into something stronger than a breeze.
The sun shone red as copper through
the thickness.
"A prairie fire," he exclaimed. as he
touched the spur to his horse. And II
isn't far on, either"
His horse sped along rapidly under
repeated applications of the spur. Has
tily hitching his horse on reaching the
house, he ran up the walk and knocked
at the front door. sweet-faced girl
in charmingly work-a-day costume
| came, and when she saw who It was
her face clouded.
"You!" was all she said, but he felt
| q volume Of contempt in that one word
| "Yes, it's me-" he said, too hurried
| to be grammatical. 81 know I'm foo
for coming here, but Just couldn't
| stay away. We have no time to quar-
rel, though. A prairie fire is booming
this way. and you must get out oi
here,"
| "T am able to take care Of myself
| thank you" she said, resentful of hi:
tone: but she looked around the house
at the clouds Of smoke that were
sweeping up before the wind.
] Maybe. but l am not going to risl
It. When that fire gets into the slough
it'll jump for this place like mad, ant
you must come with me. Your horse!
have taken fright long ago. and are tot
far away to be caught" The girl coult
see them galloping madly away. ant
knew that he spoke the truth.
"Get whatever you want to TAX,
along. and come" he commanded.
Fairbairn swore, and then stepped
to the corner of the house and took
look Great tongues of flame were leap
ing toward the house hardly more thar
a mile away. The fire was coming witt
amazing speed. licking up the long, DIR.
prairie grass eagerly. Half a mile from
the house was the slough he hat
spoken of, a dry lake bed where the tai
grass of several seasons lay matted an,
dry. Once in such fuel the fire woult
soon reach the house. Fairbairn swor
, again and knocked on the door. No an
swer He tried the door. II was locked
Another despairing look at the ap
preaching fire sent him to the doc
again in a hurry. He placed his broa
shoulder against II and gave a heavt
: II shook, but held. He tried again
the door fell in and he fell in over II
Miss whitworth was not in sight. II
: ran through the rooms below. and no
finding her there ran upstairs. In
} room on the second floor he found hel
/ sitting In a chair. She was crying.
There is no time for talk" ex
claimed Fairbairn. "I'll explain after
wards" With that he took her in hi
arms. in spite of a slight struggle. II
ran down the stairs and out of tn
door. and placing the girl on the hors
= thrust the reins in her hands and hi
the horse a blow on the haunch wit
: the fat of his hand. The nag. alread
3 alarmed by the fire. started with a lea
, and bolted down the road. Sh0 ha
gone but a few feet when the cir
though with much difficulty, brougt
her around and came back.
What are you going to do?" sh
asked.
"The best I can. III be all righ
For Gods sake. gol There is not a nc
0 ment to spare!" He spoke the trutl