Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08

TO his loss. II was in plain sight from his
| house door, and he had thought ever since
he was mill boy. going ten miles with his
grist. what pity 1t was the water power
was not harnessed and made to serve it's
nelghbors. Abshire's new house stood some
hundred yards higher up the valley. The
Dawson homestead, broad. low, rambling
did shut it away from at least half the pros
pect down the stream. The valley opened
out In broad, smiling vistas below the little
rocky rise on which 1t was built
BY the road Jimmy travelling you
came almost upon the house before YOU
saw 1t. The sun had left the valley, but
1t was still full of drear winter daylight
Jimmy shut his eyes a moment, recalling
now 1t must look. He knew every aspect
by heart. He had never been so much as
nifty miles away from It, Hand in hand
with Ellen he had roamed over every foot
of 1t. bench and level and hill slope or sat
In his rough porch, watching ii grow green
In spring sunshine. laugh into summer
LEAKAGE. or rustic with fat harvests in
the red and russell time. He had watched
through the rain, and the fine weather in
the snow, at dawn, at dark.
Inere was no need to open his eyes until
he came to the gate. The mules would
keep the road of their own motion-besides
he could drive there If 1t were black dark
and himself stone blind. They must be
coming on to the big rock now. The road
made a sharp turn there-he drew a little
on the near rein. and smiled to feel the
wagon swing without the least Jar.
Suddenly the mules snorted, stopping in
their tracks. Jimmy was almost pitched
upon their backs. AS he scrambled up
right he heard a cracking, kissing noise
hot red flare struck him with the sting
OF lash He started a minute, uncom-
pretending, then fell back, moaning and
covering his eyes. Flames leaped, licking
darting. from every window of his house.
The roof was smoking furiously. In an
other minute the fire would break through.
Men were kindling other fires in the out
houses. Abshire watched them, his hands
In his pockets, faint gratified smile about
his lips.
The mules backed and trembled, and even
reared little, but Jimmy drove them re-
lentlessiy forward. The road was 80 mar
row he must drive into the lot before he
could turn. Abshire stood at the gate Of it.
He started at sight of Jimmy. Left any
thing?" he asked. Il hope 1t was nothing
Of consequence. You see, I'm about max
, Pillars Of fire shot UP from the house.
painting all the dull valley with their
own scarlet glow. They were so fierce the
| wind scarce could bend them even at the
tip. and make Of them flaming banners in
the sky. The house was tinder-dry. and
burned with a roar like that of hurr-
cane. 1t reused Ellens numbed senses.
She struggled up to her knees, looking wild
ly about her. then with scream leaped to
the ground and darted toward the door,
shrieking, My baby! My little baby! Have
you left 1t there to burn"
Jimmy held her. struggling and painting.
THE baby dted-and she went out of her
head" he said TO Abshire duly II fetched
her back-I thought it might help her-and
that maybe you-
1T was foolish, and perfectly useless. -
Abshire said, irritably. See here. Dawson.
can't you understand! Youths house
was In my way. l determined to buy and
burn It soon as l began building. You
| can easily find a better one; you have still
some money.
Excuse my comm. Mr.. Abshire" Jimmy
| said, lifting his wife into the wagon as he
spoke. 1T foolish. l ought to a
known you could not be made to see there s
things in this world money can't either buy
or do
The roof fell In as he spoke, sending
showers of sparks and flaming brands far
around One OF the brands fell upon Daw-
sons bare hand. burning 1t slightly. An
other struck Abshire on the cheek but
glanced off harmless. Ellen had grown
| quiet, looking about her with frightened
eyes She gazed at Abshire vacantly, then
seen: you say. he shall be burned yet
and with fire Of his own making
1t was only a mad woman's raving. But
long after the wagon had rumbled out OF
sight, when all the fires had sunk to glin-
mering banks of Goals. Abshire. walking
home at the head OF his hired men, shiv-
cred. as though stricken with deadly cold
| twenty-seven-but he had made the greater
| part of his big fortune He was not a ma
tive. He had been drawn to the county by
the mineral riches OF a district lying some
| thing deeper in the hills He had bought
| the lands for a song. then set up mines and
| furnaces upon them Mysterious transac-
| tions. vaguely spoken Of as deals, had taken
| them off his hands. leaving him a clear mil.
| Hon, magnifcently invested Then he had
decided to 60 In for the life OF q country