Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-11-08

supply with the city engineer. Things
are in awful shape. The mains are
about empty, and there isn't pressure
enough from the standpipe to throw F."
thirty foot stream"
Il wish Oakley vas here" muttered
Holt.
so do L, Somehow he had 4 knac&
at keeping things moving. | don't
mean but what you've done your level
best, Byron" he added kindly.
They've laid down on me at the
Junction" said the younger man hit
terly.
He stepped to the door. mopping his
face with his handkerchief, and stool
looking down the track in the direr-
ton of Buckhorn.
"They made it so Oakley couldn't
stay. and now they wonder why the
relief train is hung UP. All Durks says
is that he can't get Il crew. l tell you
if Oakley was here he'd have to get
one"
ut was a mistake to send the yard
engine up to Parker's Run. If we had
1t here now
How vas to know we'd need it?
l had to try to ave those ties, and we
thought the wind was shifting into the
south" in fierce justification of his
| course.
That's so, all right" said McClin.
took. I'VE did think the danger vas
past. Only we shouldn't have taken
| any chances"
At this point they We're joined by DR..
Emory.
Anything new from Buckhorn!' he
inquired %anxiously.
"No; it's the same old story. Durks
amt got anybody to send"
The doctor, like Holt, fell to hopping
his face with his handkerchief.
Don't he know our danger? Don't
he know we can't fight the fire with
out engines and hose-that our water
supply is about exhausted and that
Well have to depend on the river?"
Holt nodded YEARLY.
at looks as though we We're to be
left to face this situation as best we
can, without help from the outside
said the doctor ~uneasily.
Holt turned to McClintock.
Isn't there some method of back
fring?"
Its too late to try that, and, with
this wind blowing, it would have been
too big a risk"
He glanced modify across the town
to the north, where the black cloud
hung low in the sky. He added:
Il have told my wife to keep the
young ones in, no matter what hap
pens, but, Lord, they will be about as
we'll off one place as another when it
comes to the pinch"
II suppose so,'' agreed the doctor. Il
am at a loss to know what precautions
to take to insure the safety of Mrs.
Emory and my daughter"
1t was only 4 o'clock, but it was al
ready quite dark in the town, a strange
half light that twisted the accustomed
shape of things. The air was close,
sitting. and the wind, which blew in
heavy gusts, was like the breath from
a furnace. The somber twilight car
ried with it a horrible sense of depres-
sion. Every sound in nature was still
ed. Silence reigned supreme. 1t was
the expectant hush of each living thing.
The three men stepped out OF the
platform. Holt and the doctor were
still hopping their faces with their
limp handkerchiefs. McClintock was
tanning himself with his straw hat.
NThon fhox- Sf1ol-n thay- ,rcopc1;o,cJ1-
dropped their voices to a whisper.
"Those families in the north end
should nov out Of their homes" said
the doctor. eff they wait until the fire
gets here they will save nothing but
what they have on their backs"
Eyes, and the houses ought to come
down." added McClintock. There's
where the fire will get its first grip on
the town. and then heaven help us!'
Night came, and SO imminent SEEM,
ed the danger that Antioch was reused
to something like activity.
A crowd composed almost exclusive
~ of men gathered early or the square
before the courthouse.
They had by common consent given
oP 4! AolC lII0l Liz lSllc4 l. all MOulu
be sent from Buckhorn Junction. The
light in the sky told them that they
were completely cut off from the out
side world. The town and the woods
Immediately adjacent formed an is
land in the center of an unbroken sea
of fire. The ragged red line had crept
around to tie east, west and south, but
the principal danger would be from
the north, where the wind drove the
flames forward with resistless fury.
To the south and east Billup's Fork
interposed as a barrier to the progress
of the fire. and ON the west was a
wide area of cultivated fields.
At regular intervals waves of light
flooded the square as the freshening
gusts famed the confagration or
whirled across the town great patches
OF black smoke. In the intervals of
light a number of dark figures could
be seen moving about Oh the roof Of
the courthouse. Like the square below,
1t was crowded with anxious watchers.
The crowd jostled to and fro on the
square, restless and excited and inca
pablo of physical quiet. Then sudden