The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-07-11

fear and delight. The risks Of 6yina
had at 6rst appalled, her and caused
her great suffering. But as time went
o. she lost her dread and had on sew.
eral occasions accompanied Ned on
short flights. This was the situation
when Ned boldly and confidently called
on Mr.. bennett and asked for. his
daughter in marriage. This denied, he
~endeavored to Siown his disappoint.
ment by greater activity in his profess
sion, resolved that he would prove to
Mr.. bennett that there were other
ways than selling groceries to acquire
a competency. So things went on for
several weeks: then something hap
pened.
The days were longer, and the July
sun scorched a dry and overheated
earth. There had been no rain for
weeks, and forest fires were raging
here and there over the state.
At Lincrest the air was heavy with
the acrid smoke waited from the burn.
ing mountain slopes. The sun shone-
a crimson, lurid ball-through smoky
haze, and the top of Old Mans Head.
the highest peak in the neighborhood.
had been invisible for days.
Over at lakewood, where Ned Har-
rison's aerodrome was situated, the
country was very level and cleared Of
timber, but smoke from the burning
m0untain ten miles to the north cloud
| ed the air so that for the time expert
mental flying was out Of the question.
Many of the aviators took their ma
chimes down to the Long Island train
ing fields, and Ned Harrison and his
partner suddenly found business as fiat
as the fields about them.
1T spells ruin for me-" muttered Ned
on the sixth day, looking toward the
clouded northern hills. II expect Mr..
bennett is having the laugh on me all
right. 'Tisn't like wholesale groceries,
because folks must eat no matter what
happens, but these army ~aviators are
so darn full of business and go high
and mighty that they can go anywhere
they please. If it wasn't for the ma
chimes stored l would be down and out
for sure"
He went into the shed where his own
flying machine, a two passenger non
plane, was stored and carefully went
over all the machinery. He was in the
act Of smiling to find it in perfect tune
when a motorcar rushed to a standstill
before the open door. and a man dash
ed out.
"Ned!' he called sharply.
Mr.. Dennett-what is the matter?' p
Ned vas beside the older man instant
~. What has happened?"
NJ bennett leaned against the door
frame and painted. His face was ghast-
~ pale, and his hands trembled.
ITS Elsiev' he groaned. "You know
that the east slope Of Old Mans Head
was afre yesterday and the beaters
managed to put 1t out? Well, this
morning that COMPOUNDED new dog Of
Elsie's ran away, and P~eterktn, the
milkman, says he saw the pup killing
up the path to Old Mans after a rabbit.
Nothing would answer but Elsie must
chase after him. She went over In her
runabout, and now-now"- He paused
and pressed a handkerchief to his trem.
bling lips.
"Now-now?" repeated Ned impa-
tiently.
She's up there ON Old Mans Head,
and the mountain is afire all around.
| You know the summit is a clump of
pines"
Ned stared with Mortified eyes at the
older man. In three minutes he had
seen a way out and put his project into
motion.
stand out Of the way" he ordered.
"Gustav, take you a away" he said
to the chauffeur of Dement'S machine.
In another moment Ned Harrison had
rolled his monoplane out into the field
and was pulling on a leather jacket
and puttees. Mr.. bennett. un~convinced
and quite dazed at the s~uddenness of
the expedition. stood aside while Gus
tav started the propeller blades. When
the regular throb of the engine an
nounced that the spark had caught
Ned sent the machine forward and.
after rocking uncertainty for a hun
dred yards. the monoplane rose obliQue-
~ In the air. turned gracefully and
headed north toward Old Mans Head.
Soon she was lost above the pail Of
smoke overhead.
Down there below Richard bennett
and Gustav broke all speed limits as
the handsome car eliminated the dis
lance between Haverwood and Lin
crest, where Old Mans Head was send
ing forth dense clouds of yellow smoke
mingled with flying cinders and ashes.
Its her only chance now" muttered
bennett h%oarsely. "but II the cinders
fall on his planes-they are imam
mable. you know. Gustav and 90 on
all through the desperate drive to the
foot of the mountain path.
Three hundred feet in the air, where
the monoplane secuted cautiously
around the mountain top for a landing.
It was sitting. The acrid smoke stung
Ned's eyes. but he relieved them &C.
casionally with al application Of the
-o<np oooLod <o~ol hn haA hpo,.0h<