The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-02-18
A TRAMP FIRt-FI6HTER
By IDA ALEXANDER

rT WseE now me ramp uht
DeeI flgnting fire with the other firs
fgnis-E Why ne mad dons 40 hs
hardly knew the pay waf not
large gno .he risk waH He mad Dssp
gimmi cp-nsrsd agaip and again NJ
.iuIes escape mad seemed impuBgiDis.
pnf ne mac racsc niH WY 10 BGfsiy
while nit DliHterec fest and BmuEs-
cipggsr lungs prpisBtsc But hs hao
always wont put hUy he mad di.
tencsc tnf trs uncs again, Eno lay
g-rslchst II the shade, genuinely
veary, Bincsrsiy SICK Uf Il all.
''L,si lhs pwnsrt hgnt." he said. half
aiDud Later On they'll run ms out
trpm tns shade u ths very trees
nelp 70 save ] aiut guiu back"
T'ne resolution mad come suddenly.
5e mad fully intended 70 returu after
gua .ctiug II hour Ur Bo uf well
earusl rsst
+ vat iu Lhs early forenoon that
ne mad lad down II seemed hpurs
DeCore me tirsd syet closed, and but
{ moment before ne vas rudely Bwak-
eued Men were pulling II him;
InsJ were shouting In his ear The
vords e. las. peuetratsd drows1y
INTO lie MIND
Get y. I'll g, - for Gods sake.
Its ogriu' this way"
Es sat - - last sulGly and half
svsks 81 dout give a."
The tacse - ths men were black
ensd and tlssoing
'Jeuks 81 Berts lost" saio one
wei. ! cldu't tud en-" said the
tramp
COT snd them" said the other
rsrereutly. They've burned TO
death"
lie heard the new. csllously. There
mad been b. many that the shock was
quite gone from the tale. u was only
when enacted before the eye, IN all
its grewsorne details, that Il had pow
er sYeD partially " shock
He settled tack again. y amt goin'
70 get yp"
The others stood ready W 90. The
man half turned, but paused. "BilI
once more, will ye cone? Is hittin'
row for Z plac where there's little
children-little children, mind ye. with.
out any idee what danger means"
Bil raised bis lank figure til be
stood an inch above the others. IN
come" be said
Backward now they turned with the
quick step ot inen who knew that
line meant life. All trace of lietless
uess had vanished from Bill's face and
figure. He wss the alert fre-fghter,
JI,iriDg. unafraid.
Ali day they fought. each with the
courage and the strength OF ten. II
we night before they acknowledged
hat their efforts had been withou,
avail
E.ll threw down bis az, and pointed
bis Jean finger. "Eome one ought tc
tell 'em." be ssic And then. ss rc
one sDoke. Ell e."
i wss trankleEs way .bro-ga tts
forest sIc ibick gn6eT5--t1, Ut Bl1
rsceo u. hurried " tae rozrt.g q
the FIRE. hsndicsDpe1 by hls wezr}
ness. hsyrlec by TIE fesr .tst IL Eight
not be IL time.
The people u TIE ri1l&ge were
awake. clustered sT0gIt Il grpgys.
watching the light that hung Ike
menace In the sky. There were u
men among them. TIE men were
away. battling with the danger thst
threatened their homes IN i fen %
Bin 20 prepare and urge forward ths
hurried fight. !, was be who reroe-s
bered everything meat and drink
warm clothes for the wideeyeo CHI
dren. He harnesged and made ready
Throw out everything. 81 you amt
maxim good ge'-ayay." be czp
TONED. then gave the word, and the
heavily laden teams moved OF.
YOU You' You amt comin'7'
the women sbrilled back 10 him.
After bit. You're loaded enough
III be along tore long"
Already the flames were sending
forth their spying sparks. Presently
the enemy would throw caution to the
winds, and advance upon him.
Amy other place could "a burned
and been darned Tore I'd "a done It
But this! | couldn't never forget that
little shaver as wanted to gi' me hin
pie-all OF It. ! Jest had TO do It,"
And BIZ. nre-6ghter and tramp, set
tied comfortably back, with his eyes
on the approaching fire, and the
strange smile still shadowing his
mouth with a beauty that would have
made his mother glad.