Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1905-10-15


He descended the ldicr and t-'-
plaincu his idea I, The crowd below
There w%S 4 great shout and twenty
men and boys started Oh II run after
ropes. while as MANY more Stormed 1T
the door of Nathaniel Rogers black
smith shop. Rogers was the Local
dealer in anchors and other marine
ironwork. The door Of the shop was
+ locked, but he produced the key aud
! unlocked the door. In another min
, ute the greater portion Of the iron
work in the establishment WAS on its
way to gthe fire.
The rope seekers were lust returning,
laden with everything from clothes
lines to cables Half q dozen boat
anchors ana u giapnel were f"st"'i'l
to as many ropes. aud the crowd
pranccd gayly about the burning ell.
looking for ,-!lance to make them fast.
Captain Fri found q parry with axes
endeavoring to cut a hole through the
side Of the saloon 10 order to get o,,i
| the pool table After some endeavor
| lie persuaded them to deSist and they
came around to the rear and, taking
| turns, ran in close to tie shed a,!a
chopped at it until the fire drove them
away. AT last they made hole close
to where it joined the main building.
large enough to attach the grapne!
| Then With Il "Yo heave no" every one
took hold of the rope and pulled or
course the grapnel pulled out with only
a board OF two. but they tried again
| II
beam, pulled a large portion Of tho
shed to the ground.
Meanwhile another az party had at
tached an anchor to the opposite side
and were making good progress. In
due time the shed yawned away from
the saloon, tOttered and collapsed in Il
shower of sparks. 4 dclnee of water
soon extinguished these. Then every
one turned to the main building, aud
as the FIRE had not vet taken Il firm
hold of this they soon had il under con
troll.
Captain Fri worked with the rest
! until he SAW that The worst Was over.
| Then he began the search that had
been in his mind since he first saw The
blaze. He found Captain Jerry and
Captain Perez perspirngly passing
buckets Of water from hand to hand in
the line. and, calling them to one side,
asked anAiously:
Have either of you fcllcrs seen .Iohn
! Baxter toligIlt:'
Captain Perez looked surprised. aBG
then some Of the trouble diSccrniblc in
Eri's face was apparent in his own.
Why no" he replied slowly. Il
amt seen him. ROW YOU speak OF it.
Everybody IN towns here toe.. Queer,
ain't il
Haven't you seen him, either. !"r-
ry:''
Captain Terry answered With a
shake of the head. But then" he
| said Perez and me have been right
here by the pump ever scnce we come.
He might be most anywheres else and
we wouldn't see him. Want me to ask
some of the other fellers:'
Me- exclaimed his friend. almost
Aercely. 'sDon't you mention his name
to soul nor let 'em know you've
thought of him. If anybody should
ask. tell 'em you guess he's right
! around somewhcres. You two git to
work agin. I'll let you know if
| want you.
The pair took up their buckets, aud
the captain walked ON from group to
group. looking carefully at each person.
The Rev. Mr.. Perley and some of his
flock were Standing 10y themselves on
a neighboring stoop, and 10 them the
seareher turned eagerly.
There was the most likely place. and
John BAXTER was not there Certainly
every citizen in Orham Who was able
to crawl would he out this night. and
if the old Puritan hermit of the big
house was not present TO eNult over the
downfall of the wicked il would be be-
cause he was i'll OF BECAUSE The
captain didn't like to think of the other
reason.
Mrs. Web Saunders. quietly weeping,
was seated on knoll near the pump.
Three Of the Saunders hopefuls also
weeping. but not quietly. wc"" sc:tcsl
beside her. Another. the ysi.is- =, OF
the family was being rocked soothing
ly ia the arms of stout female, who
was singing to it as placidly as though
fires We're .in every day or night oc
currence. The captain peered down.
and the stout woman looked up.
''Why. Mrs. Snow" exclaimed Cap
tain Fri.
The lady from Nantucket made nc
imnrdiate reply. She rose. however
shook down the black alpaca skirt
which had been folded up TO keep il
out of the dew and, still hummine
softly to the child. walked off little
way. motionng With her head for the
captain to follow. When she had
reached u Spo, sufficiently remote from
Mrs Saunders. she whispcred:
How dye do. Cap'n Hedge!
gllc,S the w,lSt is over now. isn't it:
saw YOU workin' with them ropes
You must he awful tired.
How long have you been here:'
asked the captain, somewhat aston
iSheu at her ca.mncss.
{ "Oh. | come right down as soon a'
{ l heard the nell. Ssh'h, dcarie.' to lh,
4 ,s.rlNt