<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2>
<h3>THE FOREST DEMON PURSUES</h3>
<p>Prudence swung her mare out on to the overgrown
trail to Damside City. Kitty was a trim-built
little “broncho,” compact, well-ribbed, and with
powerful shoulders and chest. She was just the animal
to “stay” and travel fast. The road cut through the
heart of the Owl Hoot bush, and ran in a diagonal
direction, south-west towards the border. Then it
converged with the border trail which skirted the
great southern muskeg, and, passing through a broken,
stony country, went on to Damside.</p>
<p>The wind was rapidly freshening, and the scudding
clouds were quickly changing from white to grey,
which, to the girl’s practised mind, indicated an
immediate change of weather. But she thought little
of the matter beyond being thankful that the wind
was well behind her, she wished to travel fast, and a
“fair” wind is as necessary to the horseman, under
such circumstances, as it is to the mariner.</p>
<p>For a time the roughness of the road required her
attention. Kitty was surefooted, but the outstanding
roots with which her path was lined needed careful
negotiation. Presently the trail became wider and its
surface more even, and signs of recent usage became
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_307' name='page_307'></SPAN>307</span>
apparent. The roots were worn down and the projecting
stones had been removed. Neither did it take
the girl long to decide whose servants had done these
things. On this obscure trail were to be seen many
signs of the traffic upon which the owner of Lonely
Ranch had been engaged. Now Prudence gave
Kitty her head, and the mare travelled at a great
pace.</p>
<p>The breeze had chastened the laden air of the pine
world. The redolent woods no longer scented the
air, which had in consequence become fresh and
bracing. For the moment the emergency of her
journey had dulled the girl’s sensibilities to her surroundings.
She looked out upon the beautiful tinted
world, but she heeded nothing of what her eyes
beheld. Her mind was set upon the object of her
journey, and her thoughts were centred round the
players in the drama of her life.</p>
<p>How different her life seemed to have suddenly
become from that which she had contemplated that
morning. A great triumphant joy was with her since
her lover had established his innocence to her. Her
troubles and anxieties were still many, and the least
thing might upset every hope she entertained, but
there was always with her the remembrance that
George Iredale was innocent, and in that thought she
felt a wonderful security. That he was a smuggler
was a matter of insignificance. She loved him too
well to let such knowledge narrow her estimation of
him. She was too essentially of the prairie to consider
so trifling a matter. Half the farmers in the
country were in the habit of breaking the Customs
regulations by cutting wood and hay on Government
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_308' name='page_308'></SPAN>308</span>
lands without a permit, and even hauling these things
from across the border when such a course suited
them, and in every case it was “contraband”; but
they were thought no less of by their friends. Iredale
was no worse than they, in spite of the fact that his
offence carried with it a vastly heavier sentence.</p>
<p>But for the dread that she might be too late to
intercept her brother, Prudence would almost have
been happy as she raced along that westward-bound
trail. She knew her brother’s nature well. She knew
that he was vindictive, and no doubt her own treatment
of him had roused his ire and all the lower
instincts of his malignant nature; but she also knew
that he loved money––needed money. His greed for
gold was a gluttonous madness which he was incapable
of resisting, and he would sacrifice any personal
feeling provided the inducement were sufficiently
large. She meant that the inducement should be as
large as even he could wish, and she knew that in this
direction his ideas were extensive. Her one trouble,
the one thought which alarmed her, was the question
of time. If the office were closed when she arrived,
her journey would have been in vain, for the operator
lived in Ainsley and would have gone home; Hervey
would have arrived in Winnipeg, and, by the time the
office opened the following morning, the mischief
would have been done.</p>
<p>She flicked her mare with the end of her reins and
touched her flank with her heel. Kitty responded
with a forward bound. The increased speed was all
too slow for the rapid thought and deadly anxiety of
the girl, but she was too good a horsewoman to press
the willing beast beyond a rational gait.</p>
<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_309' name='page_309'></SPAN>309</span></div>
<p>The hardy mare “propped” jerkily as she passed
down the sharp side of a dried-out slough. She
plunged through a thicket of long grass, and a grey
cloud of mosquitoes rose and enveloped horse and
rider. The vicious insects settled like a grey cloth
upon the heated mare, and Prudence’s soft flesh was
punctured by hundreds of venomous needles at once.
The girl swept the insects from neck and face, heedless
of the torturing stings. The mare fretted and raced
up the opposite slope, while the girl leant forward in
her saddle and sought to relieve the staunch little
creature’s agony by sweeping the poisonous insects
from her steaming coat.</p>
<p>The mare pressed on. Suddenly she threw up her
head and snorted violently. Prudence was startled.
Something had distracted Kitty’s attention, and her
wide-set ears were cocked in alarm. Her nose was
held high, and again and again she snorted. In
consequence her pace was slackened and became
awkward. She no longer kept a straight line along
the trail, but moved from side to side in evident agitation.
Prudence was puzzled and endeavoured to
steady the creature. But Kitty was not to be easily
appeased. She rattled her bit and mouthed it
determinedly, grabbing at the side-bar with an evident
desire to secure it in her teeth. The girl kept a tight
rein and attempted to soothe her with the tender caress
of her hand; but her efforts were unavailing. The
ears were now turned backwards, and had assumed
that curiously vicious inclination which in a horse is
indicative of bad temper or equine terror. Kitty had
no vice in her, and Prudence quickly understood the
nature of her mare’s feelings.</p>
<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_310' name='page_310'></SPAN>310</span></div>
<p>The failure of her soothing efforts alarmed the girl.
She sat up and looked about her. In the dense forest
there seemed to be no unusual appearance. The trees
were waving and bending in the wind, and their
groanings had a sadly mournful effect, upon the scene,
but otherwise there was nothing strange to be
observed. The sky had assumed a leaden hue, and
in this direction the prospect was not alluring, but
the clouds were fairly high and there was no suggestion
of immediate storm.</p>
<p>Suddenly a couple of jack-rabbits darted across the
road. The mare “propped,” reared, and swung round
towards the trees. Prudence brought her up to her
work sharply. Then she saw that the rabbits were
racing on ahead, down the trail. For the moment her
patience gave way, and she dug her heel hard against
Kitty’s side and the mare plunged forward. But her
gait remained unsteady, and in her agitation she kept
changing her stride, and once even tripped and nearly
fell.</p>
<p>A coyote followed by his mate and two young ones
ran out on to the trail and raced along ahead of her.
They did not even turn their heads to look at her.
Further on a great timber-wolf appeared and trotted
along the edge of the woods, every now and then
turning its head furtively to glance back.</p>
<p>Then quite suddenly Prudence became conscious of
something unusual. She raised her face to the grey
vault of the sky and sniffed at the air. A pungent
scent was borne upon the wind. The odour of
resinous wood, so strong as to be sickly, came to her,
and its pungency was not the ordinary scent of the
forest about her.</p>
<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_311' name='page_311'></SPAN>311</span></div>
<p>Half-a-dozen kit-foxes dashed out on to the trail
and joined in the race, and the “yowl” of the prairie
dog warned her that other animals were about.
The resinous odour grew stronger every moment, and
at last Prudence detected the smell of smoke. She
turned her head and looked back; and behind her,
directly in her wake, she saw a thin grey haze which
the wind was sweeping along above the trees.</p>
<p>She drew her mare up to a stand, and as she sat
looking back, a deadly fear crept into her eyes. Kitty
resented the delay and reared and plunged in protest
The restraint maddened her. And all the time the
girl saw that the smoke haze was thickening, and some
strange distant sounds like the discharge of heavy
ordnance reached her.</p>
<p>The sweet oval face wore a strained expression;
her eyes were wide open and staring, and the fear
which looked out of them was fear of no ordinary
danger. She watched the dull haze as it thickened
and rolled on towards her. She saw it rise like great
steam-jets and wreath itself upwards as fresh volumes
displayed the lower strata. She saw the dull brown
tint creep into it as it densified, and she knew that <i>it
was smoke</i>. The rest needed no explanation beyond
the evidence of her senses. The sickly resinous smell
told her what had happened. The forest was on fire!</p>
<p>The thought found vent in a muttered exclamation.
Then came an afterthought––</p>
<p>“And the wind is blowing it straight along behind
me.”</p>
<p>For a moment she gazed about her wildly. She
looked to the right and left The forest walls were
impassable. She looked back along the trail. The
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_312' name='page_312'></SPAN>312</span>
narrow ribbon-like space was filled with a fog of smoke
which was even now enveloping her. What should she
do? There was nothing for it but to go on. But the fire
must be travelling apace in the high wind. Still she
stood. It seemed as though for the moment her
faculties were paralyzed with the horror of her
discovery.</p>
<p>But at last she was moved to action. The mare
became troublesome. The girl could no longer keep her
still. The distracted animal humped her back and
began to show signs of “bucking.” Then came a rush
of animals along the trail; they came racing for dear
life, and their numbers were augmented from the
wooded depths which lined their route.</p>
<p>Antelope led the way; with heads thrown up and
antlers pressed low down upon their backs they
seemed to fly over the sandy soil. Then came the
“loping” dogs, coyotes, prairie wolves. Birds of all
sorts assembled in one long continuous flight. The
animal kingdom of that region of forest seemed to
have become united in their mutual terror––wolf and
hare, coyote and jack-rabbit, hawks and blackbird,
prairie chicken and grey-owl; all sworn enemies in
time of calm prosperity, but now, in their terror,
companions to the last. And all the time, in the
growing twilight of smoke, came the distant booming
as of the discharge of great cannon.</p>
<p>The girl leaned forward. She clapped her heel
hard against the mare’s side, and with a silent prayer
joined in the race for life.</p>
<p>She had no exact knowledge of how far these woods
extended, or where the break would come which should
cut off the fire. The wild beasts were speeding on
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_313' name='page_313'></SPAN>313</span>
down the trail, and, with the instinct of her prairie
world, she reasoned that in this direction alone must lie
safety.</p>
<p>The smoke grew denser and more choking. Her
eyes became sore. Under her she felt the mare
stretching herself to the utmost of her gait. She
came up with many of the racing denizens of the
forest, but they did not attempt to move off the
trail at her approach. They were beyond the fear of
human presence. A more terrible enemy was behind
them, pursuing with gigantic strides which demolished
space with incredible swiftness.</p>
<p>Every moment the air grew hotter in spite of the
mare’s best efforts, and Prudence knew that the fire
was gaining. Hill or dale made no difference now.
It must be on––on, or the devouring monster would
be upon them. Kitty never flagged, and with increasing
speed her footing became even more sure. A
loose line, with body bent well forward to ease the
animal, Prudence did all she knew to assist her willing
companion; but for every stride the faithful mare
took, she knew that the fire was gaining many yards.</p>
<p>The booming had increased to a steady roar, in the
midst of which the deep, thunderous detonations came
like the peals of a raging storm; the wind rushed
headlong forward, the fire bringing with it an almost
cyclonic sweep of heated air. The mighty forest
giants about her bent like reeds under the terrible
force, and shrieked aloud their fears at the coming
of the devouring demon.</p>
<p>The mare rushed down into a wide hollow. A
culvert bridged a reedy slough. The affrighted beast
raced across it. The stream of the animal world
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_314' name='page_314'></SPAN>314</span>
swept on about her. She breasted the steep ascent
opposite, and Prudence was forced to draw rein.
She dared not allow the horse to race up such an
incline, even though the fire were within a quarter
of a mile of her; she would have been mad to exhaust
the faithful creature, which was now her only hope.
Even the poor forest creatures, mad as they were with
terror, slackened their gait.</p>
<p>At length the hilltop was gained, and a long descent
confronted them. Kitty showed no signs of exhaustion
yet, and faced her work amidst the rush of refugees
with all her original zest. Down into the valley they
tore, for the worst of all perils was in pursuit.</p>
<p>The valley stretched away far into the distance;
ahead, here, in this hollow, the air was clearer. The
hill had shut off the fog of smoke for the moment
The refugees now had a smooth run, and a faint
glimmer of hope gladdened the heart of the girl.</p>
<p>Without slackening her speed, she looked back at
the hill, fearing to see the ruthless flames dart up over
the path which her mare’s feet had so recently trodden.
But the flames had not yet reached the brow, and she
sighed her satisfaction. The smoke was pouring over
the tree-tops, and, circling and rolling in a tangled
mass, was creeping down in her wake, but as yet there
were no flames. She looked this way and that at the
dark green of the endless woods, the gracious fields
of bending pines. She thought of the beauty which
must so soon pass away, leaving behind it only the
charred skeletons, the barren, leafless trunks, which
for years would remain to mark the cruel path of
flame.</p>
<p>Suddenly the roar, which had partly died away into
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_315' name='page_315'></SPAN>315</span>
a vague distant murmur beyond the hill, burst out
again with redoubled fury. Again she looked round,
and the meaning was made plain to her. She saw the
yellow fringe of flame as it came dancing, chaotic, a
tattered ribbon of light upon the brow of the hill; she
saw the dense pall of smoke hovering high above it
like the threat of some dreadful doom. The black of
the forest upon the summit remained for a second,
then over swept the red-gold fire, absorbing all, devouring
all, in an almost torrential rush down to the woods
below.</p>
<p>And now she beheld a sea of living fire as the hills
blazed before her eyes. It was as though the whole
place had been lit at one touch. The sea rolled on
with incredible swiftness, as the tongues of flame licked
up the inflammable objects they encountered. The
efforts of her mare became puerile in comparison with
the fearful pace of the flames. How could she hope
to outstrip such awful speed?</p>
<p>On, on raced the mare, and on came the molten
torrent. Now the heat was intolerable. The girl leant
limply over her faithful horse’s neck; she was dizzy
and confused. Every blast of the wind burnt her more
fiercely as the fire drew nearer. She felt how utterly
hopeless were her horse’s efforts.</p>
<p>The mare faltered in her stride; it was her first
trip. The girl shrieked wildly. She screamed at the
top of her voice like one demented. Her nerves were
failing, and hysteria gripped her. Kitty redoubled
her efforts. The fear of the fire was aggravated by
the girl’s wild cries, and she stretched herself as she
had never done before.</p>
<p>Now it seemed as though they were racing in the
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_316' name='page_316'></SPAN>316</span>
heart of a furnace. The whole country was in flames,
and the roar and crashing of falling timber was incessant,
and the yellow glow was everywhere––even
ahead.</p>
<p>Blinded, dazed, the girl was borne on by the faithful
Kitty. She no longer thought of what was so near
behind her. What little reason was left to her she
centred upon keeping her seat in the saddle. An
awful faintness was upon her, and everything about
her seemed distant.</p>
<p>Kitty alone fought out the battle of that ride; her
mistress was beyond all but keeping upon the faithful
animal’s back. Had she been less exhausted, the girl
would have seen what the mare saw. She would have
seen the broad stream of the Rosy river ahead, and
less than a quarter of a mile away. But she saw
nothing; she felt nothing; she cared for nothing but
her hold upon the saddle. Thus it was that when she
came to the riverside, and the mare plunged from the
steep bank into the deep, quick-flowing stream, she
knew not what had happened, but, with a strange
tenacity, she held to the pummels of her saddle, while
her loyal friend breasted the waters.</p>
<p>How they got out of the river Prudence never knew,
nor did she fully realize all that had happened when
at last the horse and rider again stood on firm ground.
And the tough little broncho had covered another
mile or more before the girl awoke to the fact that
they were now in an open prairie country, and skirting
the brink of the great southern muskeg. Then it all
came back to her, and, as Kitty kept steadily on, she
looked fearfully about her. She saw away in the
distance the awful pall, the lurid gleam of the flames;
<span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_317' name='page_317'></SPAN>317</span>
and a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving went up from
that lonely trail for the merciful escape which had
been hers. The girl leant over her mare’s shoulder
and caressed the foaming neck.</p>
<p>“Good Kitty, faithful little mare,” she exclaimed
emotionally. Then she looked ahead and she remembered
all. “But on, girl, on. There is more
to do yet.”</p>
<hr class='tb' />
<p>The telegraph operator at Damside was closing
up his little shack. He had just disconnected his
instrument and was standing in his doorway gazing
out across the prairie to the east, watching the vast
clouds of smoke belching from the direction of the
woods. All about him was a heavy haze, and a
nasty taste of smoke was in his mouth. He looked
across to the only other buildings which formed the
city of Damside, the grain elevator and the railway
siding buildings. His own hut was close beside the
latter. The men were leaving their work. Then
presently he looked back in the direction of the
distant fire.</p>
<p>“’Tain’t the prairie,” he muttered. “Too thick.
Guess the woods are blazin’. That’s beyond the Rosy.
Can’t cross there, so I reckon there’s no danger to
us. The air do stink here; guess I’ll go and git
my hand-car and vamoose.”</p>
<p>He turned back to the room and put on his hat.
Just as he left his doorway to pass over to where his
hand-car was standing on the railway track, he brought
up to a halt A horse and rider were racing up the
trail towards him.</p>
<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_318' name='page_318'></SPAN>318</span></div>
<p>“Hullo, what’s this?” he exclaimed sharply.
“Maybe it <i>is</i> the prairie.”</p>
<p>Prudence drew rein beside him. She had seen her
man, and she knew that she was in time. Her joy
was written in her face.</p>
<p>“My, but I’ve had a time,” she exclaimed, as she
slid down from her saddle. “I thought that fire had
got me. Call up Winnipeg, please, Mr. Frances.”</p>
<p>“Why, Miss Mailing, have you ridden through
that?” asked the operator, pointing to the distant
smoke.</p>
<p>“Not through it, but with it distinctly hot upon my
heels––or rather my mare’s,” the girl laughed. “But
I want you to send a message for me. It isn’t too
late for Winnipeg?”</p>
<p>“Late, bless you, no. But what is it? Prairie or
forest?”</p>
<p>“Forest,” replied the girl shortly. “Where’s a
form?”</p>
<p>They passed into the hut. Prudence proceeded to
write out her message while the man connected up
Winnipeg and carried on a short conversation.</p>
<p>“Bad fire,” he said.</p>
<p>“Very.”</p>
<p>Prudence began to write.</p>
<p>“Just where?”</p>
<p>“Owl Hoot.”</p>
<p>“River’ll stop it”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p>Prudence went on writing.</p>
<p>“Iredale’s ranch burnt out?”</p>
<p>The girl started.</p>
<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_319' name='page_319'></SPAN>319</span></div>
<p>“Don’t know.”</p>
<p>“Must be.”</p>
<p>“Oh!” Then: “Here you are; and do you mind
if I wait for an answer?”</p>
<p>“Pleasure.” And the man read the message––</p>
<blockquote>
<p class='lalign'>“To Hervey Malling, Northern Union Hotel,<br/>
Winnipeg.</p>
<p>“Return at once. Money awaiting you. Willing
to pay the price on your arrival. Do not fail to return
at once. The other matter can rest.</p>
<p class='ralign'>“<span class='smcap'>Prudence</span>.”<span class='rindent2'> </span></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The operator tapped away at the instrument.</p>
<hr class='tb' />
<p>Hervey was sitting in the Northern Union Hotel
smoking-room. He was talking to a burly man, with
a red face and a shock of ginger-grey hair. This was
the proprietor of the hotel.</p>
<p>“How long can you give me? I can settle everything
by this day month. The harvesting is just
finished. I only need time to haul the grain to the
elevator. Will that satisfy you?”</p>
<p>The big man shrugged.</p>
<p>“You’ve put me off so often, Mr. Malling. It’s not
business, and you know it,” he replied gutturally.
“Will you give me an order on––your crop?”</p>
<p>He looked squarely into the other’s face. Hervey
hesitated. He knew that he could not do this, and
yet he was sorely pressed for money. However, he
made up his mind to take the risk. He thought his
mother would not go back on him.</p>
<p>“Very well.”</p>
<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><SPAN name='page_320' name='page_320'></SPAN>320</span></div>
<p>He turned as the bell-boy approached.</p>
<p>“Telegram for you, sir; ‘expressed.’”</p>
<p>Hervey took the envelope and tore it open. He
read his sister’s message, and a world of relief and
triumph lit up his face.</p>
<p>“Good,” he muttered. Then he passed it to his
companion. “Read that. Do you still need a
mortgage? I shall set out to-night.”</p>
<p>The hotel proprietor read the message, and a
satisfied smile spread over his face. It did not do
for him to press his customers too hard. But still
he was a business man. He, too, felt relieved.</p>
<p>“This relates to–––?”</p>
<p>“An ouylying farm of mine which I have now sold.”</p>
<p>“Your promise will be sufficient, Mr. Malling. I
thought we should find an amicable settlement for our
difficulty. You start to-night?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<hr class='toprule' />
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<SPAN name='CHAPTER_XIX_THE_AVENGER' id='CHAPTER_XIX_THE_AVENGER'></SPAN>
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