The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1916-01-06

IN one spot, to come at a
nr,.t,e and they wanted no drag.
ling straps to hinder
.we,re forest rangers" announced
-. spokesman, a quick-eyed, steady
.,ung chap, to Sandry, give me your
men
,ontly. take command.
The newcomer talked q moment
,,b his two companions, motioning.
S,viding localities. sketching quick
Man. Then he turned to the owner and
his foreman.
where's your best timber?" he
asked.
Fright over that first ridge to tn
east an south-an' there's a big fire
burnin back toward It."
Come along. | want to climb that
east ridge"
In hurrying silence the three men
climbed the mountain, standing at last
on a narrow crest between two roll
licking areas of flame that leaped and
ate and roared in hundred places.
The stranger questioned pointedly-
how long they had been burning. how
many fires there were at the start,
how It had all begun, and Sandry no
ticed his thoroughness.
Daily gave every detail freely.
"Its ben SET" he said bitterly, "an'
fer tn life of me ] don't know why.
We'd a-had it all under by now but
fer this one up here-an' tn start
an'-but, oh Lord, what's tn use?
They ben springin' US EASTERN we'd
get 'em out"
Got any enemies?"
"Only the Yella Pines. an they're
rich as us-off to tn south there"
The ranger studied the hills. the lie
of the land. the trend of the valleys,
and held up his hat to get the force
and direction of the wind.
North" said Daily. ben whippin'
up from tn backwater like he'll ali
day. That's what's done tn business.
Wrong" said the, ranger, north
by-northeast Worse, for it's going to
change. Then it'll go back toward
that heavier timber there.
He nodded toward the East Belt and
Daily groaned.
Sandry only shut his lips.
He began to see why his foreman,
himself a born woodsman and familiar
with the region, had so heartily
turned over. his command to this
stranger, popped up from nowhere.
He recognized trained ability. man
of business handling his business.
They hastily returned to the valley
and the ranger gathered twenty men,
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 it up over the big
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 fire-dig-
ging trenches, cutting great pine
here, towering spruce or mr. there.
Good man." painted Sandry to MS
foreman as they passed with axes
and dripping sacks.
Best thing in the timber. They
know tn woods an tn fires an tn
air currents. Wish't we had hun
edred of EN- They'd save tn country
It's goin' to hell with these fires"
The one-horse railroad redeemed It.
self that night. for it sent special
train from the Summit with all the
men from the stations along the $50
lated mountain line. That was no
great load. for the few tiny towns lost
in the wilderness had little to boast
of in population. yet what they sent
was good. live stuff-timberIhen ana
-fre-fighters by instinct.
Dawn came over the mountains IN
blood-red haze. The sun was ball OF
copper shining dimly through can
opy of dun-white smoke. The wind'
which had dropped bit in the latter
part of the night, came up again anu
gave new impetus to the names. Inc
roar was incessant Here giant
pine, rich with resin, caught fire ana
fairly tore into the sky in its fury OF
burning-there a huge fr, eaten
through at the base by pack OF I'M
der fell with a majesty OF sound that
was awesome. And everywhere the
men, like ants attacking some mighty
task, toiled without sleep.
Daily had been up for forty-elgnt
hours, yet he went as strongly as at
the beginning, while Sandry, stlli lar
from hale, was compelled to drop lor
an hours sleep. In fact, Ma ala the
compelling, going into the smoke anu
ashes after him, bringing him out
bodily with a firm hand on his snoui
der.
You're spelling me-" he protested
through soot-grimed lips, and can
afford to Sleep"
Cant afford to go down fer gooo'
said the general sternly no stealn,
no power. Food an sleep-fuei an
water. Do you tend to your pliers.
And the owner, with a wry snliie'
sank on a pile of gunnysacks BESIDE
the improvised rollway of the upper
-c,rft;,o