Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-11-01
stand blythe situation"


II do" said Oakley. rising. Il want
to see an understanding reached with
the men. and l am going to do what l
can to help along. You will please
to consider that l have resigned.
don't for the life of me see how YOU
can expect me to show my face in
Antioch" And With that he stalked
from the place. He was thoroughly
angry. He heard Holloway call after
him:
Il won't accept Your resignation.
You'll have to wait until you see Cor
nish."
Dan strobe out into the street. not
knowing what he would do. He was
disheartened and eXasperated at the
stand Holloway had taken.
Presently his anger moderated and
his pace slackened. He had been quite
oblivious to what was passing about
him, and now for the first time. above
the rattle of carts and trucks, he heard
the newsboys shrilly calling an extra.
He caught the words, "All about the
big forest fire. repeated over and over
again.
He bought a paper and opened it
idly, but a double loaded headline ar
rested his attention. 1t vas a brief
special from Buckhorn Junction. He
read it with feverish interest. Antioch
was threatened with complete destruc-
ton by the forest fires, which for sew
eral weeks had been raging in the
northern part of the state. All traffic
was suspended, and the exact condi-
ton could only be guessed at, but there
had been repeated calls for help. The
%neighboring towns had responded to
these appeals by sending fire engines
and hose, which were still waiting at
Buckhorn Junction to go through. Oak
ley knew that the long drought had so
diminished the available water supply
that in an emergency of this kind An
tioch must depend on the river.
The town derived it's regular water
supply from a standpipe fed from a
small reservoir. In ordinary seasons
and under ordinary circumstances the
force was sufficient to meet all needs,
but on an occasion such as the present
the equipment Of the local fire depart
ment, consisting Of two hose carts and
a single old fashioned hand engine.
would be quite useless.
Oakley's hands shook as they clutch
ed the paper. He forgot his own trou-
bles; all in an instant he was alive to
the danger that threatened Constance.
She was a prisoner in the menaced
town, in the very center of an impend-
ing tragedy. The thought of her posi-
BILE peril sent the blood surging away
from his heart.
Ten minutes later Dan again present
ed himself to Holloway. His face had
lost it's former look Of logged deter
mination. 1t had become keen and
pinched with a sudden anxiety.
Its all right, Mr.. Holloway he
cried as he entered the Office. You
needn't bother about my resignation.
I'll take the first train for Antioch.
Have you seen this?' and he held out
the crumpled page he had just torn
from his newspaper.
Holloway glanced up in establishment
at this unlocked for change of heart.
II thought you'd conclude it was no
way to treat General Cornish" he said.
Hang Cornish! It's not on his ac-
count Pm going. The town is in a fair
way to be wiped off the map. Here,
read"
And he thrust the paper into Hollo-
ways hands. The woods to the north
and west of Antioch have been blazing
after call for help, and apparently no.
body has responded yet. That's why
I am going back, and for no other rea.
son."