The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-10-24
The Manager of
the B. & A.
BY VAUGHAN kESTER
Copyright. 1901. by Harper & Brothers
Continued from Last Week.

Continued from Last Week.
Holt turned back into the depot and
the crowd dispersed.
In the ticket office he found McClin-
took, who had just come in from up
town. The master mechanics face was
unusually grave.
IT have been investigating the water
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 a
thirty-ive foot stream"
IL wish Oakley was here" muttered
Holt.
$50 do |. Somehow he had knack
at keeping things moving. l 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 bit
terly.
He stepped to the door, mopping his
face with his handkerchief. and stood
looking down the track in the direc-
ton of Buckhorn.
stay, and now they wonder why the
relief train is hung up. All Durks says
is that he can't get crew. l tell you
IL Oakley was here he'd have to get
one"
1T was a mistake to send the yard
engine up to Parker's Run. If we had
It here now
"How was l to know we'd need it?
had to try to save 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 was
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.
mo; 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 riyer?'
Holt nodded YEARLY.
1T 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"
BE glanced moodily across the town
to the north, where the black cloud
hung low in the sky. He added:
II have told my wife to keep the
young ones in, no matter what hap.
pens, but, Lord, they will be about as
well off one place as another when il
comes to the pinch
Il suppose So" agreed the doctor. Il
am at 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
fn go 80,
The three men stepped out on the
platform. Holt and the doctor were
still hopping their faces with their
limp handkerchiefs. McClintock was
flaming himself with his straw hat.
When they spoke they unconsciously
dropped their voices TO whisper.
''Those families in the north end
should move out of their homes" said
the doctor IF they wait until the fire
gets here they will save nothing but
what they have on their backs
Yes, 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 usv'
Night came, and so imminent seem.
ed the danger that Antioch was reused
to something like activity
A crowd composed almost exclusive
ly of men gathered early on the square
before the courthouse
They had by common consent given
up all hope that the relief train would
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 crepi
around to the 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 Fort
interposed as a barrier to the progress
OF the fire, and on the west was 9
wide area of cultivated fields.
At regular intervals waves of light
II 4. -