Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-03-14

2
at the stock yards in the city bid Il
Snowfoot and drove him off"
Paul was speedy activity person.
fled. He hurried to a neighbor and 3
ranged for horse until his returI 4
III get back Snowfoot if have rs
go to Jail for J" he declared, and wi
off on the trail of the man with Il !
market-bound string of horses ~
1t was the next morning when Pau
reached the city and located the hora &
market at the stock yards, close on tn
heels of Snowfoot. He found whe}
his favorite and some twenty 9th
horses were housed in pen, to be SOL
at auction the next morning. n
Paul had but one idea, to make aws5s
with Snowfoot. He would wait t4S
dark. Then his old friend should f1nkS
freedom. Paul put in the time wande1S
Ing about the great yards to finallI
come to great building arched ovd
with glass and just being completes
1t was vast auditorium, built to housI2
farmers conventions and stock showE
At one end was stage. Nothinj
was yet set in place, and pulleye&]
ropes and platforms were suspended
from the roof rafters, from Wild!
workmen were suspended putting M
chandeliers and otherwise perfectids
the lighting system. III
About the middle Of the buildinta
stood well-dressed, important-lookinlzz
man, holding his little four-year-olf
daughter by the hand. He was givin
orders as to certain construction dc
tails to the contractors, and, Pal
learned casually, was head officer d
the cattle exchange, q man of enormou
/ wealth who made q hobby of improve
live stock.
His FESTIVE little daughter, brigN
lovely little midget, had taken adj
vantage Of her fathers preoccupatioyI
and had run about fifty feet to thu
other end Of the building. She had
clambered up the steps leading to thN
stage and was running up and dow
the platform, pleased at the hollofs
echo of her pattering feet on It'd
smooth boards.
eli, there" suddenly rang out I
frightful yell aloft. Within flashinl
second of time the scene was one Of id
describable confusion. The fusing lam
of one of the overhead workers had e5
ploded. The dripping contents hal
scattered everywhere; up aloft It'd
whole inside framework was ablazt
The burning liquid, dropping to til
floor, had set great heap of shavings.
block and bench frames on fire.
Paul CHANGED to be near the stage!
AS he saw an impossible barrier Of fire
shut off the entire front end Of the
building he heard the vain shouts d
the agonized father, beaten back 81
the curtain of fire, pleading for thu
rescue of his darling child. The bricf
wall behind the stage was solid. TIL
ire was advancing to lick up the mel
framework. Paul ran to the child.
II Little one,' he said ,husriedly sff
papa's sake will you do just as sa
If set you on my back with your arm
around my neck, will you hold fast
fast?'
But won't burn?"
you Won't burn, darling. You sha
be safe with your father in fifty,
you just hold on and never let CO."
1t was well that the old skill of hill
fone-time trapeze experience held Pau
Dacre in good stead now. The lfttlI
one kept her word like a Trojan. ShV
did not even whisper as. half way u
one of the long ropes, a sweep of cin1
ders came against them like a blast
Then they were at the rafters. Selling
board, Paul smashed out broad
sash. Now they were on the roof. he
drew up the eighty-odd feet of rope
let 1t trail down over the roof, and
inch by inch descended down the slant
over the edge, and the gathered crowd
cheered and grouped about the hero
rescuer and the little child.
Paul Dacre did not have to steal
Snowfoot to get him back home. Hd
could have redeemed the animal had il
taken thousands, for the father Of the
little Evaline could not sufficiently
show his gratitude. He offered Paul
the charge of a stock farm at high
salary. He even came down to the
Brayton home to visit him. And Alma
began to see the nobleness of charac-
ter in the ex-circus rider. And little
Evaline was showing Alma how she
had chung to Paul the day of the fire.
and putting out her hands drew the
face of Alma close to her own.
And as it nestled there, the chubby
hand drew that of Paul in loving con-
tact, and Alma's eyes met those Of
Paul, and the revelation Of perfect love
was complete.
Lumber Raft tn Grace o..