The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-06-09

buster SaYagely IN the tendereSt pOr-
lions of his toughened body.
AS Buster jumped forward Tony
dropped the bar and swung to the
yoke, thereby saving an upset by the
last inch of his weight. Then the
team Numbered down the narrow
track, walled in by tangled under
scrub and tall trees with ridden rot
tenness of foothold, and creeks to
make all thought of escape impossible.
A smother OF smoke belched suddenly
through the bush. smarting Tony's
eyes, and bringing his heart to his
lips. 1t lifted, and he saw underneath
one pillar of scarlet that seemed to hit
the Sky. Then came the cruel noise Of
it, and heat that make the bullocks
drip from flank to shoulder.
This is going to be a close thing"
said Tony. Must cast off the truck IL
we want to get through" He let them
pelt full speed up the next rise. On
the top even Buster was blown, and in
the minutes wait he slung apart the
hooks, and the truck ran back to the
bottom to upset there with a crash.
Buster shook his shaggy head slow
ly. Then he pitched forward with a
grunt, making the pace unweariedly.
Tony's mouth grinned though his eyes
were anxious He knew that Buster
thought he was doing unlawful deeds
by trotting where the rule was a care
full walk
On the next siding the windward
bush fell away, and Tony saw some
thing that made him giddy All the
country that spreads from Tregellan's
Gap far north to the Ironstone Noun
talns was under fire, deep in the ferny
Sul.ies, llvid in the sunlight on the
faces, blood-crimson where it ran
along the half-naked ranges. Fire.
The eruelest, grandest thing on earth;
a bush fire in heavy timber. 1t was
glorious, and powerful, and terrible
beyond words.
Tonys face was white under the
healthy red that painted everything,
and the corner of his lip bled where
his teeth had met in it. He trotted
beside his team sweating and breath
less, and with a heartache of pity for
the frightened wild things that passed
him. And still the team slung heav-
lily forward with the logged Buster
to force them.
The road and the volleys of smoke
filled earth and sky. A spark from
somewhere hit Tony's hand and the
breath of flames fluttered in the leaves
close beside. Tony prayed only that
the fire might strike behind first With
that goad to drive them the team
might get through. A honey-suckla
ahead flashed. quivered, and broke in
to flame. Tony felt the pull-back of
the great body nearest, and his heart
thumped until it shook him.
Buster" he yelled, and swung up
the bar again.
Buster charged in fury, bearing the
team along by his impetus. The
honeysuckle linked hands with tree
across the line, and dropped sparks
on them as they passed under. Tony
beat the sparks out. But others came;
fercer, nearer; more often. Tony's
hands blistered; the heated chains
scared the flesh as the bullocks sway
ed and staggered the hurry of the
fire grew more insistent, and the lick |
of the flames strengthened. Tony had
neither speech nor power left. Only
he knew that he must drive his team !
forward-forward-until the river
should make the right flank of the |
track and told the fire off by its width.
Five times the beasts would have
stopped. Five times the unbroken
strength of Buster bore them on. Tony
saw by the madness in his eyes that |
there would be danger to the man who
tried to stop him, and he grinned with
stiff lips.
Good for me took you, you old
savage" he said.
That evening Jake. his eyes sore
with watching the fury of the fire that
had passed two miles off, said to the
group about him:
Seems like Moffat'll hev ter git an
other bullocky an another team" he
said. There amt must as 'ud be like
y to come alive outer that"
The slow clank of chains came IN
the one street, and the dry clack Of
split hOofs. The whole crowd came
out to see eighteen bullocks crawl up
% the door and stand, leaning each on
he other. Jake gasped.
'Tony's lot" he said. my sakes!
rony's lot! But where is the kid?"
Something stumbled out of the dark
hat smelt of burnt flesh and singed
lair.
Il lost the leading couple" said
Tony, in a voice that no man knew.
The smoke smothered them. think.
Buster pulled the others through.