The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1909-05-13

OF the horse. Al sudden cry from the
girl aroused him.
"Looki See therei,'
The smoke had ~deepened until they
could scarce SEE beyond h horses
head, and now clots OF SCOT the size
or leaves were falling all about them.
One that lighted on the laprobe had the
CLINT OF fire in It.
Hold up quickl" he ordered sharply,
and she pulled horse onto his launches.
Hank"
A spluttering roar, mingled with
fierce cracklings and shrieks, was right
ahead OF them. Something hurting in
mad panic UP the trail almost crashed
into the horse. 1t veered into the scrubs
not six feet from the buggy. a deer With
antlers. A rabbit In mad delirium
scurried under the very wheels. The
horse began prancing and snorting.
rearing and paving the air, then back
Ing and lurching and crashing into the
rhododendron. The girl did not lose
her head.
The wild CLEAN OF the FIRE, dull
through h smoke, was, In full sight
now, and the road was like that OF the
sea-. The wind was, sweeping II up the
narrow gut, flashing on the flames like
a bison stampede. They fell upon the
W. NDPOR CNCA thCAla III O. IL LAACJ nGLG
OIL and tar, leaped agilely into the live
hemlocks, reared UP their trunks, and
stood waving In air, ma flags, 20 feet
above the topmost twigs.
The terror of the horse was almost
beyond control. He tried madly to
plungs forward and throw himself into
the fire: 1t was all both of them could
do to keep him from breaking away.
They could hold him but an instant
more.
Jump" he ordered fiercely. 1--WE
must leave him and run for our lives.
Jump"
mo. sirl Here. take the laprobe and
wind 1t round his head" She threw II
to him with deft swing. Quick" He
obeyed automatically. In an instant
she vas beside him, and she too had
the horse by the bit.
Here! let me take him!" she ordered
sharply. Now lift the buggy round.
Sharp there!" 1t was turned In an in
slant. -
Get in," she commanded, and he
oSeyed her with q JUMP; Tak up
a few steps, then bounded back and
sprang into the buggy like a cat.
give 'em to met"
Again they bumped and rolled and
slowed along the mad trail. She was
driving now for her life, and IL was q
sight to stir the blood. Young Jim al
most forgot the CHASTITY death that wac
leaping after them as he watched this
woman In action. She had grown cool
and watchful, and every movement of
muscle and tone Of voice counted. IL
was nc small thing to drive q panic
stricken horse with fire all about him.
He was in a mad scurry, shying and
rearing n plunging and ready at ev-
cry instant to smash them into q wild
A,.A ~ HAf1 49, A.,,A ~. a IL
notwithstanding, threatening, coax
ing, urging now In high key, now in
low, and the horse seemed to under
stand her. They were back now to
where she had met Jim, and now they
were crashing beyond. As to what inn
pulse might be at the end neither had
a thought. Their impulse was to
fly on and on, like the deer and the
All at once the horse stopped short,
pitching them over the dash
board. A great tree top, bristling with
dead snags. lay right across the trail.
I'm fix that" he shouted, leaping
from the buggy and laying hold OF II
nightly. But the thing was braced
and anchored. For a single moment he
with 1t, then he leaped back
and caught up his axe from the buggy.
. dozen swift strokes, a pitching OF the
severed branches, right and left, and
he turned excitedly.
you can get over the log" he yelled.
"I1l run ahead to see IL there are any
more. An instant and she saw him fall
with frenzy upon another top. The re-
lief was only for a moment. Thicker
and thicker grew the tree tops across
the road until all at once they culmin-
ated In a grand tangle that a days
work would not penetrate.
They had come to h n OF the
trail; there was no possibility Of ad-
yancing another foot. #
He a hither and thither excitedly,
but there was no exit. Then he turned
In desperation.
There's only n chance" he cried.
Lead the horse and try to get over
the RIDGE
mo, sir; we don't leave Pomp," she
shouted half angrily. Cant we build
a counter fire?"
There's too much wood. We'd roast
between two fires
IF we take Pomp out Of the buggy
we pull him up the rocks?''
IT'S too steep. Can't be done. I've
been there" Indeed II was impossible.
II would be like taking a horse up the
great pyramid.
But well try 1t all the same There
was q snap to her words that made OPP
position useless. Come, help me take
him out"
She was by the side of the horse now,
him deftly from the buggy. The
Of the flames made talking al
most impossible; the smoke was like a
their eyes, smarting and quiy-
In the rocking atmosphere. could
distinguish the nearest
Once q spark set fire to
her dress, but he extinguished
with the laprobe. Then he
the robe over her shoulders, and
tied the ends, under her chin.
(Continued Next Weekl