Putnam patriot., 1910-08-26
fhaz ate along the ground.

The group # eahiEis wsS untealehe<4 but in grave danger The unfortunate occupants were removing their poor
 bits of furniture. and fwo rsmshaekle carts we're being filed with the goods. Old Uncie Pefer Green occupied chair of state in one cart \ totrering chair il seemed owing te The uneasy
 antics of the frightened mule in the
 shafts. Weeping and praying and la
 menting. they me.e.i ,leie=ogslv down
 the road along which Beth had just
 come
 Go down to the farm. Judy" she
 said To the dominant spirit of the I group. ''Rsbecca will take care of you i till the danger k over
 | Out of the thick of smoke man 1 turned and recognized her: saw her standing there in her pink cotton dress I dazed by the smoke. Beside her was
 Ralph Clinton leaning on an Idle show
 el. ,whistlins softly as he watched the
 battle with the approaching flames Ben Wyatt leapei into the road and confronted them. Glad in blue flannel shirt and corduroy trousers. hatless.
 his sun browned fee aud arms black
 with soot and grime. he presented a
 sorry contrast Co Ralph Clinton. But l somehow Beth's glance caught his steady gaze and fingered there for 1 brief instant. and she saw nothing 10 l despise in Ben Wyatt. homely farmer 1 that he outwarily was.
 Get back there. Clintonr' command
 ed Ben angrily Take Beth away
 from here Can't you see it's nc place l for womanF'
 Mind your owa business. Wyatt,"
 retorted Ralph. Get to work there ea 1 your fools job"
 There was no time for further argu- 1 ment. The men. who had strung out l in q wide semicircle. were drawing l closer together They bad started back fire and there was danger when | the two fires met that the sudden leap l of flames might ignite the vegetation on the blilr If it did the woods were l doomed But the farmers fought I valiantlx. and little hy little the flames were beaten back from the crossroads until they smoldered down and left charred and blaekened desolation
 wherever their blasting fingers had l touched
 Tired and exhausted. the fire fighters ! lay panting ia the sand Of the roads. It was Beth who sent lurking pick. aHinny to cstil the fngitires home te | the cabins and it was. she who found mai sff fp Tn.fN- f's 1 kitchen and went to the buhhline spring fer water to refresh the tired men Before t came Ben Watts turn to drink from the dinper she slip ped away down the road toward home
 As she passed him Ralph Clinton arose and followed her
 ..See here. Beth he said disagree ably. ''I'd like to know what Eve done to deserve suea treatment at your hands
 Be,i turned aHd surveyed him with level eyes. ct Fssn't anything you've done. Ralph" she said quietly. On the contrary it's what you haven't done T don't thinx you can understand howl feel about II. Ralph. 1 thought earesi for you. Tout I amsa1raid 1t was ycdr appearance lovsa after all. Please forget-sall about me if you can Beth said eontritely. Well. Il seem to have got all that's coming ta me today" he said jaSntiiy. ~'Goedby-
 -Goodhy" said Beth gently As sssae wateked him walk slowly away She felt a psng at the shattering of i # herish.sl illusion while at the same ;titsle there was strange. sweet joy in her lfesrt mingled with fear that
 she had dHlied with real love and
 lost it.
 'Rs lph Cliaf.on turned to fling a hack
 warsl taHnt. e.l suppose you thiz. ,yosi ean vhastle Ben Wyatt back. but ,ou re t0. late. Bett' Them he
 went on snti sk isappesrt-i.
 Tae eirf's fae-e whisened at the tauE
 an,l is~s insisa.aien. and with littis straasssSi seb sine leaned against the frieRdh- trunk .sf a tree and hid her
 eyes
 -Ben yygyafts ,ysice behind her star tied t~f to betry felliaie tears m the thick iashes. 's,rimy and Scorched.
 hntless and tatfersAl and scratched. he
 was q sorry lookisr. lover. 1be look .hl his faifaful eyes saade Hp' fsu every thing tl4at seemed kteking.
 ~'I heaT,i what iiKit pup sasi just -now. Reth.s sad E@n grimly. stand ing with fgsissl arnis before h<s -l
 eussft to have stepped in long a.~ and
 foisi you what I want 10 say tight
 now. but srnehew thought syou liked him hes This forest fire fsnst patsh to the fire I've been threagh rhs wsnter Yaa don't have to whiste Pen Wyatt issck-he'S Aere. Bess darling shaIl Iie stay =
 Reth came 10 h.s arms with haPps cry. and they mlhst have forgotten the lsasSase zaf time fer the returning cayaIeade of the fugitives startled them iirte embarrassed realization that their secret was no longer their own. but was share1 by the srinning denizens of Deep Hollow wood
 Land uv l0ve" shclted Aunt Judy exuherantly. and to the two, bite hing under the oak tree as the procession nassed if was verilv -iand of iss 6.
 rsS.rrh Csunof Re Cared