The Western news., 1903-07-29
WON FROM
THE FLAMES
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(Copyrfght, 1901, by Authors syndicate.)
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Copyright, 1901, by Authors syndicate)
Great forest fires had been numer-
Gus that spring in the mountainous
districts of northern Arizona. There
had been two dry years in succession,
leaving the country veritable tinder
box. Added to this were the heavy
and persistent spring winds that would
fan small spark into raging hell in
few hours.
The government officers and line
riders were kept on a constant move
to save the country from conflagra-
ton. The country was sparsely set
tied. Here and there. miles apart,
where small seep or spring furnished
them water, a settler would sometimes
be found, deep in the woods. A rough
er and more rocky country never lay
outdoors. Canyons split it up in all di-
rectiOns; mesas were covered with
pine timber and on the rocky. seamy
sides of the hills were thick cedars and
chaparral. making tangled jungle
that even the old pioneers would oc-
casionally get lost in.
1t was late in the spring when the
biggest fire of decade broke out, and
at time when the wind was blowing
terrific gale. 1t marked as high as
60 miles an hour. falling at sunset,
seemingly to rest for the coming day
when it would break out again with
renewed force
A small camp fire left unattended
started the sea Of flame on its journey
of destruction. A heavy wind was be-
hind it, driving it due north toward
the highest peaks of the mountains.
The government rider in charge of
the district fought it for two days
with what help he could get from The
ranchers, but on the third day it broke
away from him. He rode to the nearest
telegraph station and wired his su-
perior officer for help. Help which
was 90 miles away, and soon force Of
20 men was on its way as fast as
horses could run. The driver rolled
and swayed in his seat, bracing now
and then against his seat-mate as
the four-horse team swung around the
sharp curves and over the rough road.
Smoke covered the whole country
for miles around; valleys were filled
with it, and great black clouds hung
over and hid the mountain peaks. AS
far as the eye could reach there was
a leaping, twisting, roaring sea of
flame. As the night wore on, the
smoke settled more closely to the
ground and shut out the moonlight,
adding more. to the awful beauty Of
; the wilduscene; giant trees blazing
from root to the topmost branches
gave ont their spectral, shimmering
light, which seemed to gain in size un-
til they appeared many times their ac-
c tual size and height.
Above the din and roar came the
: occasional boom of distant tree as it
crashed down into the canyon below
upon the rocks; up steep mountain
sides the flames rolled and cracked,
darting here and there, licking up ev
erything in its reach; the wind whirled
it here and there; boiling smoke rolled
close to the ground, covering the men
and choking them until they were
nearly strangled; now and then they
would come stumbling out of the black
smoke and stagger away to get their
breath. Then after a few gasps of
fresh air got by lying close to the
ground, back they would go again,
black and begrimed; beating the fire
out here, chopping and cutting away
logs, fighting like fends to stop the
spread.
Along toward morning, Charlie Lew
is, one of the regular range riders OF
the district, came up to the officer in
charge of the reserve, with an anxious
look on his begrimed and sweaty face.
Captain" if amt mistaken, there's
a ranch over there in that draw about
mile to the left. I hadn't thought
of it before, but old man Williams
lives there. He moved back there about
a month ago with his daughter. !
think something oughter be done to
see if he amt got out of there before
the fire runs onto him."
"Good God, man, no one could get
, through this living hell for a mile
and come out alive. Unless" he add.
ed, half to himself, 'unless there
, happened to be break in the fire
line somewhere that split it around
= a canyon"
"Well, I'll tell you, cap, if you'll
Jest let me try may be able to dc
: something fer 'em. I amt worth 6
, dam, nohow, and it won't hurt much
, if l don't make it. I know most o,
the country like q faro layout, SC
does my bronc. If l don't ge'
through, cap-why, it'll be the righ
kind of a start fer me in the mex
world, ennyhow," he said, with lit
tie deprecating laugh. ,zHtH
The cap, as he called him, agraspa'
him by the hand, hap mnmlbRlsed ,glRs something
under, his breath that s9urded lik
e id fool wiped something out o
: his eyes. and said: t; ton
!. e. sW,. 81 ahead diitt1isalI II ssp IA, H. eoun
i 10. .xnt YQgh bne. wQbniY
t In q short time Charlie had ~
!, cured his little sure-footed beas
: and soaking hisv clothes with wha