The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-06-29

The captain turned the handle OF
the door.
TITS locked" he announced lacon-
ically. Grant reached out and raped
sharply.
A moments silence followed and
then they heard a slow shuttle grow
ing nearer. The key clicked in the
lock and the door was opened by the
pasty-faced Minna, the baroness
maid. She stared at them DULY.
Grant attempted to step into the
hall, but the maid barred the way.
THE madame's not home"
mo? Well, never mind. Wen
come in anyway" and though she at
tempted to shove the door shut, Grant
| pushed her aside and followed by the
captain entered the dingy room. The
maid watched them in angry silence.
| Where's the man that's in this
house?" asked Grant suddenly.
The maid stared stupidity, Man?
What man."
Yes, the man who come here
wounded. Where is he?"
She shook her head and lied pom
derously
| II don't know no
stop your lying. Where is he?
| There's part Of the bandage that was
on him." Grant. pointed to a pile
OF rags In the corner. Now come
through. We haven't any time to
| waste"
But the maid shook her head in
logged silence. In an effort to fright
en- her out Of it, the captain and
Grant settled down to a cross exami-
nation, calling patience to their aid
and overcoming the evaporation
which only defeated their purpose. It
was growing late. Suddenly Grant
raised his head questioningly and
glanced at the captain. At the same
time CLEAN Of satisfaction crossed
the face Of Minna, the maid.
A man had run past the shack
shouting. Sounds Of confusion drift
ed into the dingy shack, and then
Grant shifted the air with a look Of
alarm and looked at the captain. His
anxiety was reflected there. A glance
down the crooked street confirmed
their worst suspicious. The town
was on fire!
HopeweII In Flames.
As-soon as their knock had come
on the door of the fortune telling
house, Minna had done a little guer-
lila work and ascertained that the
visitors were none she wished to see.
Her assumed slowness and stubborn
ness had given Dollings ample time
to escape through the back door of
the house where he had taken ref
uge the night before and down litter
ed alleys despite the handicap of
painful wounds. His failure OF the
night before had left him with
strong determination to make good
at the job to which he had been as
signed. In his pocket reposed d tiny
book Of numbered instructions. In
struction Four was marked. It was
the one he was to carry out according
to Won Lertz's order:
Remember that a north wind will
blow a fire toward the guncotton
plant and that Hopewell is a town Of
shacks. If necessary fire the town."
Ali day a brisk breeze had been
blowing from the north. All things
were suspicious now as night had fall
len and he crept along piles of lum-
Der and hid in the shadows.
From a nearby shack lighted lamp
shed it's glow through an uncurtained
window. Dollings sneaked close to
the house. The room was empty. In
O. corner Of a long slothespile rested
against the side Of the house He
grasped the unwieldy piece and in
moment more had thrust the pole
through the window and knocked the
lighted lamp to the floor. A light of
triumph glinted in his evil eyes as,
not daring to wait to see the result
of his handiwork, he bobbled hur-
riedly away. He heard a scream and
looking back saw a black cloud Of
smoke billowing out Of the window.
In few moments the thin walls Of
the shack had burst into bright
flame and the bucket brigade
of Hopewell was laboring in vain to
check the rapid progress Of the fire.
The tent next door caught fire, the
wind blew the cinders about and they
fell on other shacks and the devour-
ing terror spread rapidly to the south
ward famed by the brisk wind
southwark to the guncotton factory.
The bright glare Of the burning
town lighted up the figure Of a limp
ing traveller, who stopped now and
then to gaze back at it with a grunt
Of satisfaction. /
Harrison Grant and the captain
abandoned their cross examination in
the greater need of helping fight the
fire that had broken out in Hopewell
1t took no trained mind to grasp the
peril that threatened the town. All
its little population was out and
lighting but they were powerless. The
elements were fighting against them,
and the lack of proper. fire protec
ton.
Minna the maid was handcuffed
and turned over to an officer, while
Grant hurried away with the captain.
Where Is the powder house," ha
shouted at him above the rising con-
fusion, and the captain called back -
The nearest ones at the quarry"
Good, take me to It."
Grant could see that Hopewell was
doomed. The flames leaped onward
in their work Of destruction. While
frightened mobs fought at the banks
to recover their savings, looters ap-
peared, and added their terror to that
what seemed the inevitable doom Of
the thing that had given Hopewell its
life-the guncotton plant.
Grants Plan to Save the Junction
Factory.
If the factory could be saved Hope
well might rise again but If those
scorching flames reached the great
stores of guncotton there would be
no plant, no HopeWell, not even a
surviyor-only devastation which
would mean success to Imperial Ger
many's plot.
Grant racing toward the powder
house with q growing army Of men
following him, shouted orders as he
went. He had reached the door and
unlocked it. Appointing several men
hastily to accompany him, he rushed
in.
Get the dynamite and detonators,' .
he ordered.
With quick precision the men leap
ed to obey him, and then followed
him back again to the scene Of con-
flagration The flames were gaining
swift Roadway. Lives had been lost
WHARF manila ~, frantic endeavor tn |