The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1916-03-23
The Spirit of the East.
CHAPTER XVI.
ia

son, they trotted swiftly up with the
quickstep of hard-trained infantry
and stood in column of tours while
the officers sought the head of at
fairs. Daily promptly sent for the
Young forest ranger and in less than
\ takes in the telling these two keen
wired Westerners, the woodsman
and the soldier, were ready TO crap
pie with the enemy. Light-marching
ksts were dumped upon the ground
and the hard.muscled men took to
he hills and the timber under quick,
accisive orders. Two hours later
wagons arrived with commissary sup
plies and the smoky, blackened val
icy TOOK on military air.
II was Titan struggle, and it was
Indicative Of the force that has con-
arered nature-the human atoms toll
ing In semidarkness beneath the
threatening forest, choked by the
smoke, f1ayed by the almost unbear.
sble heat, menaced by the flames that
81 any moment might sweep here or
there among the rocks and declivities
OF the uneven hills and cut off escape.
That was the great danger they
guarded against-the possibility OF
getting hemmed in. Guards were de-
tailed to watch the vanguards of the
Zoe, to note the speed of the flames,
fhs lie of the timber. the lines that
we're likely 10 go fastest following the
different growths, but in the mysteri-
Gus dusk and the silence of vast
mingled sounds they were impotent
and each man had to take care of him.
self.
The mighty boom of falling patri-
archs OF the forest, hoary with thou
sand years Of age. crashing through
obstructing branches, shook the earth
each moment. With each such stu.
Sendous fall wealth and world-econ.
omy and prudence trembled at the
Sacrilege II was a carnival of waste,
a sacrifice Of the gifts of God-and
among all those who fought it with
heart and hand and brain there was
none who knew it's worldwide import
SO well, who lamented II so keenly
as the lean brown forest rangers
whose special foe 1t was.
And TO think a dozen miles of gov
eminent trails would have prevented
81" cried the leader with an oath
Out in the valleys beyond, the heavy
smoke had obscured the setting sun
entirely. Over the crest OF the Coast
Range it had spread up to the heav
ems, drifted afar on the changing wind
and all the distant valley o. the VIII
lamette knew that the forest fires
we're burning in the hills.
The papers throughout the state
told Of il that day, and il awakened
no more interest than would have at
tended the announcement of heavier
run Of salmon than was usual in the
Columbia.
They were too common, those fires
that spOrted with the national wealth
each year. too much a part of every
day life and they did not know that
this was 10 be a marker of time il
the coast country.
Time was when they were unknown
these monsters of Destruction long
pact time II was. when those first for
est rangers. the silent Red Men o.
the hills had burned out the under
Brush each year so that a pony nigh
go anywhere unhindered
The silent rangers had gone will
the years-passed TO the Hunting
Grounds and the reservations. via civ
flization and now the great timbe
had shed its dry foliage and its pitch
the little growths had sprung up sea
eOn after season. the vines had crep
between and a man might not pene
trate the Businesses without bull
lrails
so Destiny took up the land ant
played with II that hot. dry August
All through the early hours of tn
long night they labored. dirty, black
ened, tatteIed scarecrows of men. run
ming here and there, digging like ma,
m the wide trench that was to sto
the surface flames, saving unceas
tngly at the towering trees. while tn
guards brought twenty -minute tiding
Of the approaching fire.
High against the dun. smoke-ligh
ened sky the dark canopy of the Gas
Belt whispered and moaned as IL 4
fear, and from time TO time Sandry.
haggard. grim.lipped specter OF a maj
lifted his bloodshot eyes toward it.
was still his own, his future of To
Dillingworth. despite the tangle G
Hampden's threats. the Unrecorde
deed and the unfinished trail OF IN
Yellow Pines at the south. and
pulled at his heart pathetically
There was still a stretch of almot
impenetrable timber near the SUNNI
of the big ridge which must be CT
through before the flames reached 1
or all would be lost.
shall we make II. John2" aske
sne owner desperately of Daily. VIII
Pan by lea the cmoke with wet rags
tie over the mouths of the men
Ought to n the wind stays wheI
a w."
Il vas two O'Clock and that hour
the sleeping world oatside when a
a. olo.,anto ara af "a ahb