The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-11-30

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Hawkins clearing is only few
miles away" Murphy went on, keep
ing his eye on the advancing light as
he spoke; well have to make for
that"
The teams were quickly hustled to-
gether, the snorting, rearing horses
backed into their shafts, while men
swore and women tainted, and the far
away roaring came nearer.
Murphy waited until the last panic
stricken man was slowed into vehi-
Gle, and the terrified horse dashed into
a run; then vaulting onto his balky
little cayuse, he dashed back to the
bend to gauge the time between Haw-
kins' and destruction. The wind, now
due north and rising with the advanc-
ing night, was whirling firebrands into
the canyon. Cod" the man breathed,
deeply, God A'Mighty!" but the tones
were not irreverent. tits all right,
boys" he called when he again over
took the fleeing party. Don't hurry,
the amt no danger t all" But reach
ing the side of the foremost driver he
leaned out of his saddle to say into his
ear, Run 'em, Dick; run 'em for all
you're worth"
The flames now reached the bend,
leaped from tree to tree, catching the
giant pines and flinging it's flames
aloft, cracking, roaring, kissing, surg.
ing. Now a towering mast crashed in
to the canyon. Murphy saw it. A mo-
ment its light was lost in the black
depths below. A moment only. Sparks
flew upward and outward as twigs
along the side ignited, resinous
branches fed the flame, and fierce,
forked little tongues of fire licked out
and dashed the rising trunks.
The moon that, like pillar of fire
by night, had been guiding their
flight, was soon lost in the rolling
clouds of smoke. Hawkins clearing,
Murphy knew, was on the river, but in
this murky chaos, where?
Keep it up, boys. You're winners.
We're almost there He spurred his
horse to shout, You're almost there;
keep it up!"
Has the fire reached the canyon?"
the cruiser called, feeling the heat
increasing.
No, We fool, its miles from it. Ye
amt skeered, are ye?" Murphy tssunted
in disgust at his want of consideration
for the women.
The horses, maddened by the instinct
of the wild, wheeled and plunged at
every crash, while Murphy pulled
alongside and cut them into blind fury.
The roar was too loud for the occu-
pants of the wagons to hear his reas-
surfing Don't git skeered," but his
commanding tones kept them at least
from jumping out. Impeded by fallen
tree-trunks, tangles of deer-brush and
chaparral, their progress was slow.
Ashes rained thick upon their I'M
covered heads as fresher gusts of wind
arose, flinging frebrands after them,
while every soul cried God Almighty"
and every heart beat "Hawkins!" No
body swore now, and nobody tainted.
White, pinched faces stared vacantly
before them, or hid their eyes from the
horror of it all.
Hold EN-! Don't jump, blame you!"
roared Murphy; "cut EN-! Hold 'em!"
And his tones, ringing out of the dark
ness, still firm, still commanding, still
reassuring, fell like the voice of de-
livering angel. Then, almost like an
other comet, black figure whizzed
past them, and again the firebrand.
barely lodged, was hurled through the
air and stamped out, and again the
frantic horses were dashed forward.
Lashed until the whip fell from the
burned and blistered hands that held
1t. But the voice still rang the as
surfing Here we are right at Hawkins.
Just a few more steps," And tho
panic-stricken people were. too dazed
to wonder that half an hour later it
was still Just few more steps" in
the same cheerful, encouraging tones.
But the sitting heart between breaths
pumped God, we're LOST"
Still the blind leading the blind
rushed madly on anywhere, for no one
thought of questioning Murphy's gen
eralship.
Gradually, however the jolts and jars
seemed to grow fewer, and looking up
through rift in the clouds of smoke
and ashes. the Sky seemed open
Here we are at Hawkins" Van
Horn shouted. Are we really there?"
the Cruiser" shouted to their deliverer.
Hanged if know" Murphy
groaned, inwardly; but to the "cruis-
er" shouted back, Course. whar dye
think we've been headin' fer?"
His right arm, he noticed, didn't
seem to work, but all the time he was
getting so easy and comfortable as the
numbness grew upon him, that he
did not care what happened. At least
he thought he didn't care until he
opened his eyes and saw Juliet tearing
up her classic draperies in order to
bandage his arm. Others seemed to
be bothering around, too, saying things.
''Is he dead?" he heard them ask,
and felt big tears falling on his face.
So, considering how much pleasanter
it was TO lie with his head on Louis
lap. with Louis arms around him and
Louis tears falling on his face, Murphy
stayed dead. But when the cold lips
of the erStWhile tragedy ouaan henf