The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1906-09-27
CHAPTER XXI.

4 = the town had come to expect
them each fall. AS the Hon. Jeb Bar
rows remarked with cheerful optimism,
voicing popular belief, If it was in
tended Antioch should go that way it
would have gone long ago.
But this summer the drought had
been of longer duration than usual The
woods were like finder, and the inev-
liable wadding from some careless
hunters gun or the scattered embers
from some campfire far up in the
northern part Of the state had started
conflagration that was licking up
miles Of timber and moving steadily
south behind vast curtain of smoke
that darkened half the state. 1t was
only when The burned out settlers from
the north began to straggle in that An
tioch awoke to proper sense Of Its
danger.
1t was then that Antioch sent out its
first call for help. 1t needed fire en-
gines and hose, and it needed them
badly, especially the hose, for the lit
tie reservoir from which the town
drew its water supply was almost
empty.
Antioch forgot the murder of Ryder
1t forgot Roger Oakley, the strike and
all lesser affairs. A common danger
threatened its homes, perhaps the lives
of Its citizens.
A score Of angry men were stamping
up and down the long platform across
from the shops or pushing in and out
of the ugly little depot, which had
taken on years in apparent age and
decay in the two days during which
no trains had been running.
They were abusing Holt, the railroad
and every one connected with it. For
the thousandth time they demanded to
know where the promised relief train
was-if it had started from Buckhorn
Junction, and, IL it hadn't started, the
reason of the delay.
The harried assistant treasurer an
swered these questions as best he
could.
"Are you going to let the town burn
without making move to save it?'
demanded an excited citizen.
you don't think l am any more
anxious to see it go than you are?"
EeIOrteQ Holt angrlly.
"Then why don't your road do some
thing to prevent it?"
1.-THE roads doing all 1t can. gentle
men,"
That's whole lot, amt it?'
i 1--WE are cut or" said Holt help
lessly. Everything is tied up tight"
You can wire. can't you?"
Yes. can wire; have wired"
well, where's the relief train, then ?"
cts at the Junction"
s'It's going to do US lot Of good
there, amt it?''
They'll send 1t as soon as they can
get together a crew."
Stir them up again, Holt. Tell 'em
we got to have that hose and those en-
gines or the towns gone. It's matter
Of life and DEATH"
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.
Il 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 standplpe to throw a
thirty five foot stream"
81 wish Oakley was here" muttered
Holt.
$50 do 1. 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, hopping his
face with his handkerchief, and stood
looking down the track in the direc-
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 a crew. tell you
if Oakley was here he'd have to get
sone."
at was a mistake to send the yard
engine up to Parker's Run If we had
it here now
'sHow was to know we'd need it:
had to try to save those tleS ana we
thought the wind was shifting into the
i SOUTH" in fierce justification Of his
n, 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.
I 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 moppine
his face with his handkerchief.
Don't he know our danger? Dom
he know we can't fight the fire With
out engines and hose-that our water
supply is about exhausted and thai
We'll have to depend on the river?"
Holt nodded wearily.
"It looks as though we We're to bt