Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-08

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They all trailed down the valley on
dogtrot. It took them the better
part Of an hour, but when they went
down there was not spark left
alight.
What do you suppose started It.
John?" asked Sandry.
ooh. some darned little college
snipe from Corvallis. likely, with q
gun an a cigarette. Or mebbe 1t was
some camper stayin' overnight on
the ridge some greenhOrn. An it's
mighty dry-mighty dry"
They went back to the cutting.
though every jack Of them lifted up
his eyes from time to time to the
ridges around. At supper the loggers
discussed the forest fires Of other
years. the topic opened by the incl
dent. It was . close night with q
dark sky. though the heat had given
way to the sweet GOODNESS of the
coast under the mysterious ocean
wind, and Sandry from his old seat
at table looked out at the western
ridge.
Joint" he cried, rising suddenly.
tits broken out again!"
Sure enough. Against the upper
darkness little red tongues licked fit
fully up and the men, white and In
dian, tumbled out of the cook-shack.
It was twelve o'clock when they
turned in, and Sandry was puzzled.
The next day nothing happened.
Then at dawn of the day following
the camp awoke to see fine, fairy
white haze all through the valley and
the crest Of the west ridge, for half
a mile, sending up fanciful pearl
plumes in the soft morning. This
time It had gained start and the
camp turned out In earnest.
Scattering fires were burning slowly
in the lower growth. all linked to-
gether by creeping trails. It was as
II light wind had blown in the latter
part Of the night, bearing a brand
here and there. Daily set his men in
groups. all along the burning strip,
and they attacked it with spade and
shovel, ak and blanket wet from the
flve-gallon oilcans they had filled at
the slough and carried up the noun.
tain with heavy labor. This time they
worked INCREASINGLY all day, going
down to dinner in relays, and night
found them q weary crew with grimy
faces, while narrow, black scar ran
along the high shoulder of the ridge.
John" said sandry solemnly. that
is no college boy with his cigarette.
Could it be Hampden?"
The foreman turned upon the
owner.
You hain't real westerner. yet,
Mr.. Sandry," he said with . smile.
"You think Hampdend resk his yella
pine-as fine timber a. there is In tn
whole state? He'd bury tn Ratchet
an come light with us like . brother
first"
4 Then what's setting those fires?-
for it looks az II they are being set
Ny God! Look there! There's an
other!"
Amerry. red eye winked and leaped
and died, to leap again across the
early twilight ct the valleys head.
That's damned close to our cut
tin'!" cried Daily starting down the
mountain on . sliding run.
And that last hre, burning strongly
where no brand could have dropped
even with wind. marked the begin
ming Of such time of anxiety, Of fear
that grew and mounted to heart-still-
ing panic. Of superhuman labor, as
Sandry. year before. could not have
believed possible-a time to be long
remembered IN the coast country.
Daily sent siletz on Black Bolt to
Toledo, to ask for Q dozen men to
help in the fight.
He abandoned the one on the
ridge, for fire goes down hill slowly,
and set his men again in the valley.
Daily abandoned the one on the
ridge. for fire goes down hill slowly
and set his men again in the valley.
Here the bed Of dry needles was
thick and rotted into ideal condition
for that most treacherous Of fires, the
ground-fire, which gets into the pow
derlike mat of packed deadfall and
creeps hither and thither like thief
In the night. breaking out. unexpect-
eddy, an unseen. insidious enemy.
There had been two years of unusu.
ally heavy foliage and the rains had
ceased early, so that the time was
opportune for q forest fire.
The timber at the valleys head was
smaller than on the hills, consequent
ly there was more underground, little,
young pines and frs, slender and
branchy. each one Of which was q res
nous torch ready to hare into SPLEEN
did kindling for its greater brothers.
These it was that took the fire run
ming with the little wind, skimming
swiftly along the surface, catching
here and there sapling, which In its
turn, IL It was not felled quickly BY
blow from broadax, reached up for
the lower branches OF some full-grown
pine. That was the thing they fought
against, these men Of the timberlands,
for II once great pine took up the
fire with roar like the sea In hol-
low cavern. 1t would spread to an
other and another In the close packed,
swaying canopy Of the forest and the
horror Of the country would start
broadcast on q track Of ruin-a crown
IRE, than which there In no greater
menace, for horse cannot outrun Il,
and man, II the hills are thickly wood
Cd, IL almost powerless against It.
YAAN q ~