The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1897-02-20
"No," echoed Dan. BUR- Burton
never SGuea!ed."

no" echoed Dan. BUR- Burton
never sGuea!ed."
Il broke my right hand" said Bum.
lunging UP TO the old man AID hold
ing out the injured member, ION the
head o. the scoundrel they imported to
lick me, and then whalcd the whole
gang with my left hand, didn't /. DAM"
And Dan answered.: You're right.
Bum. you did"
Were pretty drunk, Dan and me,
but we must walk to camp tonight,
for to-morrow's Thanksgiving, and I'm
foreman of the crew. said Bum, and.
whirlng on Dan, he added:
And I'm the best foreman i'll these
parts, amt /, Dan? and the boys
couldn't get along without me, could
they, DAM" and the big fellow play
fully caught the little man by the back
of the neck and gave him spin which
ended in q series of revolutions on the
floor, and from the recumbent figure
came the words:
''Not by big sight, could they,
Bum"
I'VE stopped for suthin' to drink, old
man." said Bum, but seem as you're
old folks We won't bother you" and
starting for The door, he broke out into
a roilicking drinking song in which the
obsequious Dan Joined rs second, and
there was genuine melody in their
blended tones.
The old man hastily threw open the
door for their exit ana as he Sid so the
occupants of the room were startled
and amazed at the awful spectacle dis
closed through the open doorway.
Above the level of the far-reaching
forest the sky was ablazc with flaming
light. On the rushing wind came the
cracking sound of burning treetops,
and now there was visible dancing
column OF devouring flame which
reached n hundred feet above the loft
lest pine.
My God, those ours have fred the
timber" shouted Bum
Burton guessed rightly. The region
was infested with men who had been
discharged from the various logging
camps for general worthlessness, or
who could not, because of known in
efficiency, obtain employment. Bum,
when sober. was Il prince Of workmen,
quiet and gentiemanly; he had entire
charge of his camp and of the crew OF
fifty men. That morning he had gone
on business TO the village, which lay
three miles 4 little north of west OF the
homesteader's cabin. and six in the
same course from til Burton camp. He
had there met Dan, an oldtime friend
AMI employee, who was Oh his way to
the camp. Here, too, he had fallen in
with lot of those idle ruffians. some
of whom had been discharged from his
own camp and were bent on Ven
geance. \ too easy victim of the Wiles
of his enemies, his good nature could
not anticipate snare. When the sam
son was drunk the Phillistines as
sautcd him with the result which he
trnthfully described.
II had been an unusually warm, dry
autumn. As yet there had been no
snow and very little rain. and the earth
was as dry as in midsummer. In fir
ing the woods, some Of the men We're
prompted by their desire to injure Bur-
ton: others hoped to force employ
ment. as timber through which fire has
passed must be cut within the first
season or become q total loss 10 the
owners.
Leaning against the decreasing, Bum
was sobered in an instant. A large
clearing surrounded the camp. There
they would be In safety and only there
"Dan," he said, Eve must make for
the camp. That fire will burn the
earth where we stand. Come. old
man, pick up what you can quick, and
you and your wife follow us
Dan darted out into the open and was
fully fifty feet away. Burton turned
back to help the old couple out but,
| to his horror, the woman lay senseless
in her husbands arms. Bum sprang TO
| the door and shouted.
Come back. DAM
Dan obeyed instfnctively.
I'VE can never get them there" said
| Burton. Rake out all the sheets and
blankets you can find and spread them
over the shanty. Uuse what wafer you
can find. I'll get more"
The creek-he knew it well-was half
la mile away to the northwest and q
| little within the standing timber; and
I the fire was coming from the west. In
all haste he took time TO release the
horses from the stables and turn them
! loose TO take their chances with the
deer Of the forest.
He found two pals and hurriedly at
tached them, one at each end, 10 six
foot pole, which he balanced sHross
his shoulders, and then he fastened to
| the creek.
Great sparks of burning leaves and
! twigs and branches descended like
fiery snowtlakes Oh every hand, cast by
the wind from the rolling, advancing
mass of smoke and flame. Here and
| there light sprang up in the under
brush of the clearing. and Dan, with
the greatest difficulty. smorhered the
flames which appeared in half dozen
| places on the roof of the cabin. The
barn and sheds were soon all ablaZe.
The time for escape had passed. 1t
was death to leave the clearing: ii
was probably death to remain there.
The old woman at length revived, but