The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-01-06

choice with u.s. she said. There was nothing of
bitterness In her voice; she leaned forward, pattng
the mares chestnut neck for a moment, then swung
back, sitting straight cavaryman in her saddle
" OF course" she said smiling for the first time,
" it will break my heart to sell The Witch but -
she patted the again the won't grieve;
1t takes dog to do that; but horses-welI, 1 know
horses enough to know that even The Witch won't
grieve."
That radical theory, Miss Elliott" said BurIe-
son, amused What about the Arab and his loving
steed ?''
That is not legend for people who know horses
she replied, still smiling. The love is al side
You know horses, Mr. Burleson- Is it the truth
the naked truth, stripped of poetry and freed from
tradition +? u
Why strip poetry from anything? ' he asked,
laughing
She rode in silence for while, the bright smile
fading from lips and eyes.
Oh you quite right" she said; let us leave
what romance there may be in the world Ny horse
loves me ike dog am very happy TO believe 1t,
Mr. Burleson."
From the luminous shadow of her sombrero she
looked out the stretch of marsh, where from
pools the wild-ducks rising, disturbed by
the sound of their approach And the snipe began
to dart skyward from under their horses feet filling
the noon silence with their harsh "squaki squak "
It's along here somewhere said Burleson, lean
ing forward in his saddle to the swale-grass.
moment later he said, " Look there Miss Elliott "
In the tall, blanched grasses velvety black space
marked the ashes of fire which has burned in semi
circle, then westward to the waters edge
You see' he said, q it started to sweep the
vlaie to the pine timber. The wind changed, and
held it until the fire quenched at the shore
she said
He touched his horse, and they pressed forward
along the boys edge
Here" he pointed out they fired the grass again.
you see, always counting the wind; and here
again, and yonder too, and beyond that, Miss Elliott
in dozen places they set the grass afire. If that
wet east wind had not up nothing earth could
have saved thousand of white pine-and I'm
afraid to how deer and partridges and wood
cock 1t savage bit of business, it
not, Miss Elliott -
She sat her horse, silent, motioness, pretty head
bent, studying the of the fire in the swale
There installing the signs; q grass fire had
been started which, had the west wind held must
have become brush fire, and then the dreaded
scourge of the NORTH fuIlfledged forest fire in tall
timber. After little while she raised her head and
she wheeled her eastward the vae
the pines
What do you make of it ?'' he asked pushing
his horse forward alongside of her mare.
The signs are perfectly plain" she said. % Whom
do you suspect ?"
He waited moment, then shook his head.
You suspect nobody ?"
haven't been here long enough, / don't exactly
know what to do about this. 1t is comparatively
easy settle of simple trespass deershooting
but tell the truth Miss Elliott, fire seares nae.
don't know how to meet this sort of thing"
She silent
So,' he added, sent for the fire-warden
don't know just what the 1arden's duties may be-
9" do,' she said, quietly Her struck solid
ground; she sent her forward at gaop, which broke
into dead Burleson pounding along
behind, amused, interested at this caprise- She
drew bride at the edge of the birches half turned In
her saddle, bidding him follow with gesture and rode
straight into the covert bending avoid branches