The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1916-06-15
CHAPTER XVIII.
Fires Within Fire.

So II was double burden that the
great black horse carried into the
mystery OF the shrouded country
Hatred was like a wall between them
and Poppys fingers. clinging perfoae
TO Siletz shirt. twitched with desire
How short a distance to the packet In
the bagging blouse!
So they rode with smarting eyes
and aching lungs. down into a dim val
ley and up again. between fires. under
mighty, towering trunks. tottering TO
their fall. They passed the high S. lie
OF the Hog Back. n majestic crown
against the smoke, and threaded the
ruins OF the forest. At last they saw
great fires ahead and men running
among them.
Where is sandry?" Siletz asked.
unabashed. OF soldier.
Don't know. Haven't seen him for
hours He hurried on and the girl
rode along the line where a hundred
men were laboring with ak and spade
and blanket The wind had dropped
and they were working north and
south. trying 10 bottle up a roaring
cross.cut OF valley. Scattered
throughout the hills in squads, obey.
ing the orders sent down from time
10 time by the ranger and his aids,
who patrolled the ridges with field
glasses, they worked like a great ma.
chine. though they saw no farther
than their own trench, their own line
Of back.tre. their own stretch OF
fclled pines.
But work as they would ut the base
Of the high, massed peaks. Destiny
was about ready for her grand coup
at the fortunes OF the Dillngworth,
and she snatched streamer from a
cross.canyon and shot II high across
/ line and back.hre and trench into the
dry pines on that slope. Also she had
sent, an hour before. a tall, lone spiral
into the dun heavens from the very
heart OF the spared timber behind the
! Hog Back. That spiral had caught the
eye OF Walter Sandry, working with
his waning strength north on the east
slope For how many hours he did
not know, he had neither eaten nor
slept. But still he went with the
spirit that would not quit so long as
another stayed at his post
If the rains would only come!" he
thought as he struggled upward, ITS
nearly time for them. II they would
only bring their first showers now
Tho roar OF the new Gre--a solitary
pine that went UP like huge, grace
ful torch-was in his ears. its light
before him.
Now how under heaven did II ge'
started up In here?"
lie had spoken aloud as he YEARLY
skIrted a clumr OF young spruce anC
the words fell short abruptly broker
as he emerged from their shelter.
Before him. in a small cleared space
stood hampden OF the Yellow Pines
, His back was toward Sandry and ht
! carried in his hand three candles. II,
was nearly as black and disreputabl,
} as any scarecrow down among tn
fires He was intently watching some
; thing at the foot OF a second pine
! Softly Sandry moved until this objec
was In his line OF vision.
Bedded high In pile OF tinder-dr
needles fourth candle glowe
! brightly in the smoky gloom. Wit
j. utmost cunning 1t had been set clos
4 against the tree where long branc
Q OF pitch trailed down the rugged bar
4 from far up among the branches
When the candle burned down 10 IN
Q resin. .steeped needles-and ma
might travel far in the meantime-th
. upleaping flames need only to lie
that banner 10 rush with lightnin
a speed TO the swaying, inhammabl
" top.
J. For a long moment the Eastene
stood, lost in wonder. Then the Who'll
y thing burst upon him and he kne-