The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1916-06-01

more men!" shouted tue foreman
hoarsely You Harris. 20 telephone
to Corvallis for more men
Its done. Johnny" said Ma Daily.
painting in the light. her sleeves
rolled up from brown. capable arms.
u sent S1etz some time back She's
calm fer all the stations between -
The valley was az light as day, illu'
mined all up and down its length. and
three horsemen were Looping up rs
level noor Lean, 1.-THE men they
were. clad In sober khaki, and they
leaped from their horses with bust
nesslike alacrity. dropping reins over
saddle horns instead OF on the ground
Those three horses we're well trained.
intelligent aids. ready to stand for
hours IN one spot to come at a
whistle. and they wanted no drag
ging straps to hinder
We're forest rangers" announced
the spokesman. a quick-eyed, steady
young chap. to Sandry. give me your
men."
Thank tn Lord" said Daily fer
yently, take command"
The newcomer talked moment
with his two companions, motioning
dividing localities. sketching n quick
plan Then he gathered twenty mon.
putting them under one Of his aides.
Go up over that ridge" he direct
ed briefly. "and cut forty-foot fall
straight across the dip behind the
fire Go on and cut II up over the BIC
ridge Don't stop TO fight"
AS the men hurried of with cross
cuts and axes. he plunged into the
smoke and fire. shouting terse com
mands. taking men from what seemed
imperative tasks to put them at work
in places removed from the fro dig
ging trenches cutting great pine
here towering spruce or fr there.
Good man" painted Sandry to his
foreman as they passed with axes
and dripping sacks
Best thing in the timber. They
know tn woods an IN fires an tn
air currents Wish't we had a hun
dred OF EN- They'd save th country
Is goin to hell with these fires"
Dawn came over the mountains IN
blood.red haze. And everywhere the
men. like ants attacking some mighty
task. toiled without sleep
Daily had been up for forty-eight
hours. yet he went as strongly as al
the beginning, while Sandry still far
from hale was compelled to drop for
an hours sleep. In fact, Ma did the
compelling. going into the smoke and
ashes after him. bringing him out
bodily with a firm hand on his shoul-
der.
You're spelling me-" he protested
through soot-grimed lips and can't
afford TO sleep"
Cant afford TO go down fer good,
said the general sternly, mo steam.
no power Food an sleep fuel an
water. DO you tend to your bilers.
And the owner. with a wry smile,
sank on a pile Of gunnysacks beside
the improyised rollway Of the upper
cutting
When he awoke il was TO find him
self under a light blanket of fanciiul
weave which belonged to Siletz. The
shy, silent girl had been about him in
his sleep.
When he hurried to the work he
saw here and there groups of Indians
The reservation had arrived in force
But things were growing worse with
every hour.
Fire was everywhere, in the earth
and in the heavens. II heated the
sweet winds to unbearable, scorching
blasts It illumined the dun dusk with
dull. crimson light. II deserted the
cutting and swept forward toward the
north. leaving ashes and ruin, sullen
brands and smoldering logs that
famed forth viudictiyely from time
to time.
So dawn fomu them on that hot,
grim day In August
The lean, young ranger was every
where, and Sandry in amazed appre-
citation. saw trench shut on a
ground.fre. ana the telling of single
pine change the trend of food OF
flame that was going out OF bounds
But by twelve o'clock the wind
turned and headed south. With ap-
palling might the food spread up
the ridges, crept down into the dip
and joined the slow-burning menace
there.
At that the ranger fired three shots
into the air which brought one OF his
aids running out OF the smoke, pant
ing aud disheveled from fighting
handto-hand with a growth Of young
spruce.
Go telegraph for the Vancouver
soldiers" he directed tersely. this
is going to beat all records"
GRO BE CoNTGNUEDl
First Telegraphine.