The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1918-05-11


spared, while men took risks and
men braved~ death-and while Dixie
Mason struggled impotently to fight
her way through the ring OF fire that
seemed to have closed all about her.
The smoke ate its singing way
into her cringing lungs, choking her.
She sought to scream-but the
screams were lost in the wild con-
glomeration OF noises from below,
the shrieks Of fear maddened horses,
the surging work Of rescue. Here,
there, back again she struggled. only
TO race everywhere a wall Of fire
that, inch by inch. was eating toward
her, living, writhing, all consum-
ing circle Of death!
The flames had eaten their way
through portions Of the roof now
and were spreading the flare of their
flames against the sky. Over in the
railroad yards, Harrison Grant. re-
ceiving the reports of his men as
they checked up the list of captured
spies, glanced into the distance,
started, then whirled to the members
of the Criminology club.
'Shackle those men together" he
ordered sharply. Leave them in
charge Of Sisson-he can handle
them. Then everyone come with me
there's fire at the stockyards!"
quickly orders were obeyed.
Quickly the men swept forward I'M
der the leadership of Harrison Grant
to aid the hundreds of horse wran-
glers and cattlemen in their mad
dened efforts to release the flame
threatened animals. And as they did
so. Dixie Mason was making her
last desperate effort at escape.
A Chance With Death,
Death in the flames or death in a
leap-Dixie Mason chose the chance
OF the latter. She had fought her
way forward, beating out the flames
that caught her dress, smothering
her free hand against her nostrils
10 shut out the paralyzing effect Of
smoke and gasoline vapors, seeking
from the sounds from below to as
certain an area into which she might
leap with some opportunity for safe
ty.
At last it came. A lull in the mill
ing rush from below. Dixie fought
her way to a railing, swung under II.
hung there for one, long. trembling
instant, then, just as a whirling rush
OF horses cleared the way beneath
her, she dropped
The fall stunned her for a second.
Ihen the roaring sound of plunging
animals brought her to her senses
just in time to enable her to scram-
BILE out Of the way of. a flame crazed
group OF horses as they surged past
her. then Keeling, to seek through
the smoke the freedom of the open
air.
Someway, somehow, she managed
70 WaVer to the outer doors of the
big barn, there to gasp at the cold.
!lte-g1V1ng atmosphere that surged
into her lungs-then to run forward
White-face& at the sight before her.
Everywhere was f1re-fire which
ragged about the sheds, fire which
licked its way along the ratings Of
the cattlepens, which ate at the
chutes and connections, ire which
seether and spat and cracked. From.
far in the distance came the clane-
ing of bells and the kissing of steam
the hastily called fire apparatus of
20 stations, fighting against the
fames-but fighting a. losing fight.
Dixle's hands cIenched.
The cowards!" she exclaimed,
"the f1ends!"
Look out there. Miss" It was
the friendly shout Of horse wran-
gler as he pushed her aside. Down
the alleyway sounded laundering
roar as 20 shouting men drove be-
1ore them a great mass of wild-eyed,
galloping horses. The wrangler
shouted happily as they passed him.
That's the end Of 'em," he said
heartily; 1--WE were luckier'n we
thought"
The end of themY' Dixie Mason
turned hopefully. Then you man
aged to save"
Most of 'em. Miss. We got some
nelp from an unexpected quarter.
Bunch of Secret Service men who
were over in the yards chased over
here and took the load off our minds
o loosenin' the cattle in the south
END. That let us put all our work
on the dangerous part of the yards"
Secret Service menu" Dixie Ma
t stared: DO you know any OF
Nobody. A fellow gave his name
as Grant. but"
Harrison Grant?"
"Think So"
Dixie Mason turned sharply. Har-
riSon Grant must not see her there
1t would only mean the necessity for
explanations - explanations which
might not be easily Forthcoming.
From far away came shouts-the
shouts Of men approaching through
one of the alleys which as yet had
been untouched by the flames. Dixie
hardly heard. All that she knew was
that she must leave the vicinity of
The fire as soon as possible-content
in the knowledge that her work had
not gone for naught after all Most
If not all--of the horses and cat
lie had been saved. Imperial Ger
many had destroyed American prop
erty in the shape OF barns and pens
but 1t had at least failed to de
stroy the lives Of the innocent beings
against which 1T had plotted.
Almost afmlesSly she turned to the |
'ailroad yards to escape the roam |
ng droves OF horses and cattle that !
we're sw'IIing everywhere. ON She |
went, crossing track after track, as
she sought the streets and the open.
The light OF the fire flared higher
,ame into Dixie's throat at the sight |
IF man before her.
A Hurried Getaway. |
Hurriedly she swerved, leaped be- |
.ween two closing box cars of a fly
ng switch, and then, as the man
jumped across the track |
lpon which was approaching a rap |
dly travelling train, hurTying on to |
where her deserted automobile show |
ID it's dull form, where It mad been !
abandoned by the fire tlend. Once she
ooked back-to discern the fact that |
he man still watched her beneath |
he long train. Then she hurried on |
again.
Back in her apartment, she report |
I'd to her chief, to give the name of |
Walter Schleindel and her suspicious |
against Franz Won Rintelen. An hour
more went by and the telephone rang
20 bring the news OF Schleindel's ar
'est, and his confession, of how he
lad used the bank as q clearing !
house for German apydoEn, stealing |