The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-11-19
He tied the horses head down the

| He t:A<c Cd the horses head down the
lead and leaped up behind the girl
l;ven with the double burden the lit
lie pony ran rapidly, but it went no
faster than the fire, which had been
gaining on them frightfully as they
tai. ed 1t was mere than halfway over
the slough, and the heat about them
was intense. The flying sparks set fire
| to the grass in many places, and their
faces were often stung by the embers
that filed the air. The whole world
seemed ablaze.
j On they fled, the smohe rolling about
them so they could scarcely see the
road ahead of them. The girl took one
look over her shoulder. then moaned
and buried her face in her hands.
l eff you had only let me stay" he
said. She shook her head but said
nothing. The horse was laboring
nightly, but the strain was terrific,
and her pace began to wane slightly
when they had gone about four miles.
Seven miles from the farm was a
river. 1t was small. but its high banks
and cool waters were Fairbanks goal.
When he turned again from the main
road he had only mile to go, but the
horse was travelling painfully, and as
its pace grew less and its noble efforts
more feeble the fire slowly gained upon
them. Behind them, laughing with
glee, ineXorably came the fire, shorten
ing the interval between it and its prey
steadily. Now it was barely 100 yards
behind, and when Fairbairn felt its hot
breath growing hotter he uttered
prayer and dug his spurs deeper into
the poor pony's flanks. The animal
gave moan and struggled to respond.
For a moment it's speed mended, and
Fairbairn almost began to feel hopeful.
Then it began to fail more than ever,
and he clutched the girl to him, almost
in despair.
Now the fire was so yards behind
The horse was losing ground. and the
heat was becoming unbearable. Then
his heart leaped as row of willows
showed family through the smoke
clouds ahead. The river was near and
once there they were safe. But not
yet. The horse stumbled and regained
Its feet Stumbled, up again; stumbled,
up again; and then, still struggling
nightly against the weakness that was
finally overpowering its poor frame, it
slowed up, sank to it's knees, rolled
over and died.
Fairbairn was up in second. The
girl had tainted. He grasrcd her in
his arms again, tossed her to his shoul-
der and ran. Gods. how he ran! Ev-
cry muscle in his body was strained in
the last effort to reach the goal. But
faster came the fire. Now it was lust
behind. Now it shot past far to the
right, as though it would head them
off in its fendish cunning Its roar
sounded a new alarm in Fairbanks
ears, and he summoned up every last
shred of strength for one final effort.
His tired muscles responded and he
shot on. But the fire was at his heels.
He felt his coat take fire, and then he
saw that the girls skirt was ablaze.
He put this fire out with his bare hand,
but the flames were all about him. The
smoke was sitting. and he could not
see his own length ahead. He could
not tell how far he was from the river,
but he could tell that if he did not
reach it soon the end was at hand.
Then he shot blindly over steep
bank, and the cool, grateful waters of
the river dubbed in his ears as the
couple sank into it.
! The water brought the girl to her
senses and she was able to help her
self. The fire roared over their heads
for a short time, then leaped the river
and was gone.
They emerged, dripping, from the
river, looked over the black, smoking
i waste, shuddered, breathed prayer Of
thanlifulness, and then he turned to her
to feast on the love light in her eyes,