Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-10-13


and clench his fists was this: the ire
was moving eastward and yet it could
not have started on the west bank, for
here the trestling was completely hid
den under the foundation, over which
the flames could not pass. The fire
had started In the middle Of the mus
key, and had been started there OF
design.
It was the end of everything. Big
Muskeg would remain unspanned after
all. when Bowyer assumed control.
The engine-houses were fire-red ru-
ms, belching up black, sticky smoke
that clogged the fighters lungs and
settled in fine particles of black dust
all over them. Drums of oil and gaso-
line exploded with the salvoes Of ar
tillery, shooting up streamers of flame
sky-high. Rivulets of fire broke forth
and streamed through the camp,
spreading the destruction.
The encircling arms of the confla.
grafton had thrust their fingers all
about them through the forest, which
was ablaze in every direction. But
in the open space itself the fire had
been stayed, though hardly anything
was left except the kitchens and
bunk-houses. The sheds and engine
houses had gone up in few minutes,
and now glowed f1ercely with an In
tense heat, but without fame.
The fighters had done all they
could do, and that was nothing. They
could do nothing more now, except to
guard the bunk houses from the rivers
Of blazing oil. Wilton found few
men and told them to take spades and
throw up mounds along the courses Of
The Hunkies, mad with drink, gath
lered In clusters at the doors Of the
|bunk-houses and jeered at the men
who fought to save them; and these,
too disconsOlate to care. having at
last secured the remaining structures,
flung down their spades and drew out
of their way. Everyone knew this was
the end.
Out of the smoke came the figure
OF MCGEE, the head locomotive engi-.
neer. His hair was crisped like ne
gro's-he was as black, and the tears
had furrowed white channels down his
cheeks.
TITS all gonel" he shouted. ''Noth-
ing but scrap-iron and Junk. Wen
have bargain sale I" He recognized
Wilton and seized him by the arm.
"Who set that blazer he screamed.
"Man, there was gasoline, gallons OF
It, soaking the sheds before ever the
fire come there. They were soaked
with 1t. Who did It? Show me the
d-n skunk!" he shouted. half beside
himself.
"It doesn't matter now" said Will
ton.
MCGEE raved, cursing and sobbing,
and suddenly rushed away into the
smoke and was lost to view.
Wilton was making his way toward
his shack before It occurred to him
that he would not find 1t. Yet there
was the safe. He would stay guard
over that. TO his immense surprise
however, he discovered that the shack
had escaped the condagration, though
nothing remained Of Kitty's but few
blackened beams. A backf1re had
been set successfully. The grass was
burned all about the place, and some
Of the timbers were scorched, but that
was all. The shack was an oasis in
the devastation Of cinders. Jules
had stuck to his post.
Wilton knew there had been treach-
cry. He knew that Bowyer's appear
ance at the portage had not been
chance. Bowyer had not driven miles
from Cold Junction by coincidence.
Wilton had no doubt that the fire was
Of his making.
And even that did not matter.
At the door of his shack he stopped.
He had strange instinct of danger
the instinct Of the beast returning to
its den, which tells 1t that something
has been there during it's absence.
He unlocked the Office door and went
in. For a moment he thought his sus-
picions groundless. Then he saw that
the door of the safe was open. He
ran to it. and found the papers inside
and apparently intact, just as they had
been.
Jules must have scared the thieves
away before they could accomplish
their design. But how had they got
the combination?
Wilton shouted for Jules, and then,
remembering that the deaf-mute could
not hear him, went out Of the room
toward the little wooden outbuilding
which Jules had constructed for his
abode. But the Muskegon was not
there.
He went back through the kitchen.
In the middle of the room he saw
something dimly outlined On the floor.
He struck match and found Jules In
q pool of blood. One side OF his head
had been almost battered to pieces
with Ratchet that lay On the floor
nearby.
And yet Jules was not dead, for, as