Sunset Ranch: A Story of a Boy's Adventures in the West — page 31: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Chased by a Prairie Fire. 25 grass beyond, to be swallowed up in turn by the great avalanche of flame. “Better not pull up,” said Karl, grimly ; “that is, if you want to live to tell the tale.” Buckskin was doing his noblest, and Karl had no need to use the stinging “quirt” that dangled from his left wrist—there is no lash equal to that of fear. Still the fiery pursuer gained, for the wind had increased to more than ten miles an hour and was whipping up the flames unmercifully. The heavy load crippled the -horse, already hard used on the previous day. What wild exhilaration in such a ride when life and death lie in the balance! Cuthbert felt his nerves thrill with the tension—he seemed to have entered the arena of western life with a bound, and though his introduction had been almost savage, it at least promised to launch him upon the sea of experience without loss of time. He could feel every’ muscular movement of the brave little broncho under him, and experienced that feeling of pride which comes to a true horseman when his steed strains every nerve to accomplish the race. Buckskin was running for his life now. The aspect in their rear became constantly more terrifying, the closer it drew. Karl had not as yet said one word save to occa- sionally shout encouragement to his overworked horse, but even the tenderfoot knew he was aiming for some particular spot, to reach which meant safety. To his mind the chances were rather in favor of disaster, yet somehow he had learned to place great confidence in the stanch buckskin horse and his able rider. The novelty of the situation, together with his own fears, forced him to at length ask Karl what conniclooolks CO