Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-06-07
Continued from ! 1t weck)
"weIl do twice that presently"

w - w AVANS taoh patoShaJs
The old convict looked relieved. They
were running now with a strip Of for.
est on one side of the track and cult
waited fields on the other, but with each
rod they covered they were edging in
nearer the flames. At Parker's Run
the road crossed little stream which
doubled back In the direction OF Buck
horn Junction. There was nothing aft
er that to stay the progress Of the fire,
and the rest Of their way lay through
the blazing pine woods.
Just before they reached the ten mile
fill they came to the strip of burned
timber that had sent Baker back to
Buckhorn earlier In the day. Here and
there tree was still blazing, but for
the most part the fire had spent Its
strength.
AS they swung past Parker's Run q
little farther on Dan saw the freight,
or, rather, what was left Of II, on the
siding. II had been cutting out four
fat cars loaded with ties, and he un-
derstood the difficulty at glance. On
tAiC anu blOut cur
vert spanned the run, but the siding
crossed 1t on fllmsy wooden bridge
This bridge had probably been burning
as the freight backed In for the fiat
cars, and when It attempted to pull out
the weakened structure had collapsed
and the engine had gone through into
the cut. II rested on Its forward end,
Jammed between the steep banks, with
Its big drivers In the air. or the cars
there remained only the trucks and
ironwork. Near by tool shed had
formerly stood, but that was gone too.
The wheels and gearing OF hand car
10 the midst OF heap Of ashes marked
the spot.
Dan turned to his father. Are you
all right. daddy" he asked
Eyes. Dannie"
''Aind your footing. II will be pretty
shaky back there"
They were still In the burned district,
where change In the wind that after
noon had driven the FIRE back on itself.
II had made a clean sweep of every
thing indammable, Luckily the road
had been freshly ballasted. and the
track was in fair condition to resist the
flames. But an occasional tie smol-
dsred, and from these the rushing
train thrashed showers Of sparks.
Dan kept his eyes fastened on the
rails. which showed plainly in the jerky
glare Of the headlight. II was well to
be careful while care was possible BY
and by he would have to throw aside
all caution and trust to chance. Now
be increased his speed. and the iu-
sistent thud OF the wheels drowned ev-
cry other sound. even the farofr roar
Of the flames, AZ his back at intervals
q ruddy glow shot upward into III.
night when Roger Oakley threw opei
the furnace door TO pass IN coal, Save
Tor this II was still quite dark In the
cab, where Dan sat with his hand or
the throttle lever and watched the vel
low streak that ran along the rails IL
advance OF the engine, Suddenly tn,
wall OF light ahead frightened visibly
and its glare filed the cab, They wert
nearing the fire
Dan jammed the little window at his
elbow open and put out his head A
hot blast roarcd past him, and the heat
OF the fire was in his face. He drew
the window shut. II was light as day
In the cab now.
He leaned across the boilers end
and, with a hand to his lips, called tc
his father, Are you all right?"
The old man drew himself erect and
crcpt nearer.
whats that you say, DannieT' he
asked. His face was black with Goa,
dust and CRIME.
"Are You all right? Can you bear
the heaty
81 am doing very nicely, but this
aln't a patch on what it's going 10 be"
"Ies, Il will be much worse, though
this is bad enough"
but we can stand It. We mus,
think OF those poor people at Antioch"
'Well stick to the engine as long a.
the engine sticks TO the rails" said
Dan grlmly. Hadn't you better come
into the cab with me? Noull be fright
fully exposed when we get into the
thick OF H."
Not yet, Dannie? I'll give you
steam. and you drive her AS hard as
you can"
He turned away. shovel IN hand
Then. all In second. and they were
IN the burning woods, rushing beneath
trees that wcrc blazing 10 their very
SUBMITS. The track seemed TO shake
and tremble In the fierce light and
hercer heat Burning leaves and
branches were caught up TO be whirled
In fiery eddies back down the rails as
the train tore along. Tor Dan was hit.
ting her up.
Tongues of fire struck across al the
two men. Smoke and fine white ashes
filed their mouths and nostrns. Their
bodies seemed to hake They had been
streaming wet with pcrsplratlon a mo
ment before.