eginning to suffer therefrom. The fire
was almost smothered, but enough air reached it around the edges of the
thick cloth to cause it to burn with considerable vigor, and give out a
slight illumination, but, worst of all, it filled the room with dense,
overpowering smoke. Breathing was difficult and the odor dreadful.

"This will never do," said the captain, glancing at the fireplace,
where the glowing edges of the blanket were growing fast; "we won't be
able to breathe."

His first thought was to fling another blanket upon the embers, thereby
extinguishing them altogether, but his wife anticipated him by
scattering the contents of the water pail with such judgment over the
young conflagration that it was extinguished utterly. Darkness reigned
again, but the vapor, increased by the dousing of the liquid, rendered
the room almost unbearable.

"You and Dinah had better go upstairs," said the captain to his wife;
"close the door after you, and, by and by, the lower floor will clear; I
can get enough fresh air at the little opening in the door and by the
windows to answer for me; if there is any need of you, I can call, but
perhaps you may find something to do up there yourselves."

The wife and servant obeyed, each taking her gun with her, together with
enough ammunition to provide for fully a score of shots.

The cabin which Captain Dohm Shirril had erected on his ranch in upper
Texas was long and low, as we have already intimated. There was but the
single apartment on the first floor, which served as a kitchen, dining
and sitting room, and parlor. When crowded his guests, to the number of
a dozen, more or less, could spread their blankets on the floor, and
sleep the sleep that waits on rugged health and bounding spirits.

The upper story was divided into three apartments. The one at the end
served for the bedroom of the captain and his wife; the next belonged to
Dinah, while the one beyond, as large as the other two, was appropriated
by Avon and such of the cattlemen as found it convenient to sleep under
a roof, which is often less desirable to the Texan than the canopy of
heaven.

Few of these dwellings are provided with cellars, and there was nothing
of the kind attached to the residence of Captain Shirril. The house was
made of logs and heavy timbers, the slightly sloping roof being of heavy
roughly hewn planking. Stone was scarce in that section, but enough had
been gathered to form a serviceable fireplace, t