Gilpin observer., 1916-06-29

upon tHo COOk-bu6Ck anu tue ueSeTt-
ed cabins. empty ever since their for
mer occupants had turned their coats
for Hampden's two-year contracts.
Suddenly Coosnah, lying on the
step, got up and shifted the air. ST.
letz looked at him, her fingers ar
rested. Then he sat down on his
launches, threw up his ruzzle. and
began to bay, a melanchol. lonesome
sound
"Hush," said Siletz. hush. Coos
nah!" And she, too, lifted her head
after the fashion of wild things.
smelling the sultry atmosphere.
"Mother!" she cried swiftly. its
fire!"
The general creaked up and hur-
ried to the steps. but already Siletz
was of and running up the valley
toward the cutting. When she reached
the donkey Sandry was standing be-
side it. but the girl passed him with
out glance. running to where the
foreman set choker.
"John!" she cried; "John-there's
fire on the west ridge!"
Every man within hearing dropped
his work instantly and stood up.
Call in TIL men," said Daily as he
passed the donkey-engineer," AN send
'em along. We'd better all 60 Mr.
Sandry. 'Tain't likely it's much. but
we got to stomp it out. whatever tis.
l ben lookin' fer EN-"
They all trailed down the valley on
dogtrot. 1t took them the better
| M ri nf hnt ,hoy
down there was not a spark left
alight.
What do you suppose started it.
John?" asked Sandry.
"Oh. some darned little college
snipe from Corvallis, likely, with a
gun an 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 1t was close night with a
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.
"John!" he cried. rising suddenly
Its 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 oi the cook-shack
II 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 anC
the crest of the west ridge, for hall
a mile. sending up fanciful pear
plumes in the soft morning. Thi.
time 1t had gained a start and tn,
camp turned out in earnest.
John" said Sandry solemnly. "tha
is no college boy with his cigarette
Could it be Hampden?"
The foreman turned upon tn,
owner.
You hain't a real westerner, yet
Mr.. Sandry," he said with a smile
You think Hampden'd resk his yell,
pine-as fine timber as there is in tn
whole state? He'd bury tn hatche
an come fight with us like brothe
first"
Then what's setting those fires p
for it looks as if they are being set
My God! Look there! There's an
other!"
merry. red eye winked and leapet
and died, to leap again across thu
early twilight at the valleys head.
That's damned close to our cut
TIM" cried Daily starting down thu
mountain on a sliding run.
And that last fire, burning strongl,
where no brand could have drolpet
even with wind. marked the begin