The Jasper news., 1908-12-03

set the dangerous ire. But she might as
well have talked against the sweeping
wind which threatened danger in case the
angered woman persisted in her determi-
nation.
Back the pony went again and Dick
was duly informed by very much fright
ened and penitent Constance that Mary
was determined to set her fire as soon as
the green light appeared.
swell, that settles it." Dick said II
was going to the village to hear the news,
but III stay here now to fight fire if she
should set one going. Be sure to tell your
father as soon as you get home to hurry
over and see your aunt and reason with
her.
"I'1l send Uncle Norris" Constance
"He is Republican and Aunt Mary is
too mad now to listen to any Democrat"
But when Constance got home her
father and Uncle Morris and every other
man and boy in the neighborhood had
made for one or other of the villages to
get the election news. Telephones were
not common then as now and there was
no way of reaching them. There was
nothing to do but await the issue of
events.
Dick chatting with Impotence. went in
around the. yard, then back by his parlor
fire, where he made an Intellectual effort
to interest himself in book. Each time
he went forth he cast a dreadful glance
in the direction of the Widow Mason's
barn, but nothing was to be seem The
hour of midnight came and still he looked
only into darkness. But from the win
dow of Mary's house shone light
which showed that the owner was still
keeping vigil. He grew miserably de-
pressed and when he went out for the
~, faIa a., IL
of ice, which the sweeping winds carried
along, betokening the start of a SNOW
IF snow comes there will be no
danger" he said to himself; but at that
moment he looked again and saw the
green light shining from the gable of
Widow MasoHs barn.
He turned quick glance toward Mary's
house and saw lantern moving toward
the edge of the wood. Without waiting
to lock his door he fastened across his
own field in the direction where the fire
might be expected to spread.
He had with him water pail and
shovel with which to beat back the flames.
Their. was no water near the place where
the fire was starting, but if it spread it
might come within reach of the supply.
The shovel was the best thing he could
think of for beating out the fire as it
spread through the dry grass.
He hurried over to his own line not
far from where the brush heap stood,
just in time to see Mary apply BLAZER"
to the dried leaves at the base of the heap
She was on the windward side and the
flame at once drove into the heart of the
heap. A sharp Swapping of twigs was
heard, then the steady roar of the rising
flames and the odor of burning bark rose
pleasantly upon the air.
Dick stood by the stone wall which
marked the boundary of the two places.
He spoke no word and Mary knew no.
thing of his presence. In the strong light
thrown by the brilliant fire Dick could see
her features as clearly as if it were day.
Hers was still face of great beauty,
though it had lost the youthful prettness
of twenty years before. There was in her
face none of the eXultation he had ex-
pected it to show. He saw her turn and
look toward where his own light still
burned, but she looked back with an ex-
preston of sad WEAKNESS which took
away much of the resentment of the man.
gray and grim, who stood watching out
side the circle of light
The wind came only in heavy gusts and
during one of the periods of calm the
fame rose in a perpendicular sheet which
stood high as the neighboring tree-tops.
Now was heard the sound of wind conf
ing through the forest like the rushing of
a distant train. The next moment it was
upon them. There was scurry of leaves,
the trees shook and bent and the great
flames, yielding to the mighty onrush of
air, lay almost level with the earth. When
the wind had passed. the fire was every
where for many yards to leeward of the
heap, burning fercely among the dried
grass and underbrush