Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-08-04

ting into thicker chaparral. They
threw themselves against it with all
their weight, breaking and forcing
their way, finally emerging at point
about thirty yards from the spot
where All Lung, the Chinese cook, was
beginning to fry bacon for supper.
They went quickly forward and
threw themselves under what shade
they could find, to rest until supper
should be ready. That is, all except
Denis. He had been the last to come
out of the chaparral.
AS he flung himself against the last
thicket a piece of brush struck him
across the face, making a long, ugly
cut, from which the blood ran freely.
He was tired and heated and the pain
made him angry. He put his hand up
to his bleeding cheek and looked up
the mountain at the thick purple
tangie lying in the hot sun.
"Blast your he said; you'll tear me,
will you?'
Taking match from his pocket, he
struck it on the side of his trousers,
and before any one could see or i'm
agine what he was going to do he had
lighted branch of greasewood on the
edge of the thicket- The fame shot
into the air and leaped from branch
to branch and from tree to tree. Turn
ing round, with loud laugh, he called
out to the other men:
'"There's a bit of a bonfire for the
Fourth Of Julyr'
The next instant his arm shrank in
a grasp so fierce that the bone seemed
to break. He turned his eyes up to- find
Cady towering over him.
Denis face grey gray and aabby in
a moment and his lower jaw dropped.
"Merciful heavensv' he muttered.
''The Ladv
Charley Cady had been rather glad
than otherwise to turn back for the
| theodolite.
| Under the influence Of the scene
| Charley's eyes grew soft and tender
with emotion. He drew from the inner
pocket Of his blazer a letter, which he
read for the hundreth time, then fold
! ing the blossom of yerba santa up in it
put it back in his pocket and gave him
| self up to deep reverie.
| Suddenly he became aware that the
keynote was changed; it was no longer
a soothing murmur, but an angry roar
He looked behind him, down the noun
tain. Black smoke already filled the
valley, shutting out all view of the
camp and his companions, and out
from this pail darted red tongues OF
flame.
They ran along The tops of the
bushes; they leaped from one tt
another Of the oily greasewood trees
in maddening riot. The whole noun
tain was on fire, and he-where shoul{
he go. what refuge could he hope tt
find?
He looked about for one moment o
fearful hesitation. Hanging over hi
head, hundred yards or so from
where he stood, was huge rock whic]
looked as if'it had been rent in twail
by some convulsicn of nature. Quic
, as lightning he decided that his onl
!, chance to escape the horrid deaf
which was rushing upon him was t
, reach the shelter of this cleft, If clef
it should prove to be.
Already he was climbing, hand owe
hand; drawing himself up by bra1
, ches, tearing his face and hands
! he went; hearing behind him the his
r ing of the fire and the cracking OF til
. burning twigs. Up, up he struggled
1 now the smoke almost blinded min
. the tears were in his eyes, Wnlc
nevertheless kept one spot OF gra
\ rock before them.
The breath came in great sobs frO1
!. his painting lungs when, even as IL
I flames licked around the bushes at 1
Y base, he staggered into the opening
= the rock and threw himself face dow
ward in the darkness within.
S He lay quite still for some time. III
q terrible exertions which he had mac
rendered him for the moment uncO
- scious of everything around hl1
After a while he raised himself, l
b tending to go further into the openln
and found that he had fallen into som
,. thing wet. In a moment he saw tn
70 he was in the entrance of cave, al
that his hands and clothes were co