The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-06-25

uTeQS Ma0e nOmele60 ana pehhlIo61S J
with nothing left, even wherewith to
wiring their bread out of the soil.
In c County and its neighbors,
however, all felt secure; the fires were
far north of them, and being gradually
Iexterminated. Besides they were in the
Jim River Valley; it is curious how
much confidence the proximity of riv-
er will give to the settler who is threat
ened by prairie fires.
Mort Benedict and his father were re-
turning from the county town one day,
having been in to leave "mother" for
two days visit and to have the
breaking plow repaired. For day or
two there had been rumors of fires only
twenty miles or so to the north, and
they were talking Of this as they cross
ed the bridge, four miles from home.
AS they reached the top of the hill on
the west side of the river Mort glanced
at the northern horizon, which was not
distant, on account of a range of hills
running east and west, and
Did his eyes deceive him, or was that
smoke, just rolling up above the line of
hillsa
"Look, father!"
Startled, the elder man did so.
"Great God, Mort! She's a-comin ),
an comm t. beat hell, too! We got
t. race, t save anything"
And race they did but the fire was
racing, too; and when they drove their
painting horses into the dooryard, the
flames were only few miles away and
coming down at lightning speed.
While Tom and Roy saddled theiI
ponies and rounded up the livestock
Mrs. Benedict and the three elder boys
and Bessie in an incredibly short space
Of time put into the two wagons every
thing that it was possible to save, af
ter which Hal and George saddled theil
tponies, joined Tom and Roy with the
herd, and the whole procession, headed
by the two wagons, driven by Mort and
his father, moved off at a rapid pace
toward the river.
Then, and only then, did Mort notict
that there was no sign of human life
Iabout the Walker place. His heart gave
a leap.
"Bess" he said, sharply; "did-did
they git away9 Did ye notice 'en
movin 'roundY"
The girls eyes opened wide. COB
Mort! / haven't heard or seen a sigr
of 'em all day."
"Take them reins. I'm goin bach
an see"
He leaped from the wagon and rar
back, noting as he did so how hot the
air had become and how near the big
wave of smoke was.
Mrs. Walker, singing softly as she
hustled about the kitchen, was a bill
startled to see who her unannouncee
visitor was.
"Mis' Walker, where's all your men
folksf No, didn t come fer trouble
only this prairie fire only a little
ways off, an comm down like madl ,
| Mrs. Walker sank into chair 'tOh
heavens! An father sick a-bed an al
th' boys over t Berry IS on breakin
bee!"
"Good Lordl Amt I glad l com,
back! Where's tn hossesf''
"Oh, Mort. They re all loose in tn.
paster"
"Git what things ye wantuh save t.
gether real quick! They ain no SPAR
time" And Mort tore out of the hous,
like a mailman, and down to the pasture
not noticing that Nellie had entered tn,
kitchen and was staring at him open
eyed.
Both Mr.. Walkers wagon-teams wer,
composed of animals usually as docile al
lambs; but today, punched together il
a corner of the pasture, they shifted tn,
coming flames, and it seemed to pu
wild imps into their numbering car
casses, and it was long, trying tim,
before Mort could catch two Of them
swear, pray, try as he might-and th,
great fire rolled swiftly nearer. TIL,
wind had shifted from northeast t,
csX. (.