The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-11-02

Llht NdH DPIlS puSbtu Nuu ictt DO tihc
for anything else
Backfiring was impossible. for the
wind came up the cleared road from
tile M skeg with hurricane force. viii
ton posted his men along the near side
of the way. 10 beat the patches Of
flame that would spring up from the
burning brands carried over II by the
wind
The confiagration came roaring
down on them before many minutes
had passed. II seemed to gather force
as II advanced. The smoke was sti-
only dimly in the swirling fog.
The line Of fire shot through the
cracking ferns and underground be-
fore them. and reached the edge Of
the cleared way. Then the workers
found themselves surrounded with a
ring Of fame. The trees and grass
were alight behind them. And along
the muskeg edge the confiagration had
thrust out gripping t~entacles of flame
that edged round and in toward the
engine-sheds.
Shouting 10 those nearest him to fol-
low. Wilton ran down toward the
swamp. But when the grade came
into sight he saw something that
caught his cry and killed II on his lips.
or a sudden his veins seemed to run
ice for blood. The fire had caught the
trestling and was running along the
timbers, eating its way toward the
east bank.
But what made him catch his breath
and cIench his fists was this: the fire
was moving eastward and yet II could
not have started on the west hank. for
here the trestling was completely hid
den under the foundation. over which
the flames could o pass. The fire
had started In the middle Of the mus
key, and had been started there Of
design.
II was the end of everything. Big
Muskeg would remain u%nspanned after
nh, when Bower assumed control.
The engine-houses were fire-red ru-
Ins. belching up a black, sticky smoke
that clogged the fighters lungs and
settled In fine particles OF black dust
oil over them. Drums Of oil and gasO-
line exploded with the salvoes of ar
tillery. shooting up streamers of fame
sky-high. Rivulets Of fire broke forth
and streamed through the camp.
spreading the destruction.
The encircling arms Of the confia-
grafton had thrust their fingers all
about them through the forest, which
was ablaze in every direction. Blu
in the open space itself the fire had
been stayed, though hardly anything
was left except the kitchens aud
b~unk-houses. The sheds and engine
houses had gone up in a few minutes.
and new Glewed fiereely with an In
tense heat. hut without flame.
The fighters had done all they
could do, and that was nothing. They
could do nothing nor now. except TO
guard the bunk-houses from the rivers
OF blazing oil. Wilton found a few
men and told them TO take spades and
throw up mounds along the courses Of
these torrents, in order TO divert them.
The Hunkies. mad with drink, gath
cred 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 ut
last secured the remaining structures,
flung down their spades and drew o u
of their way. Everyone knew this was
the end.
d.: @! the smoke came the figure
of MCGEE, the head locomotive engi
neer. His hair was crisped like a ne
gro's-he was as black, and the tears
had furrowed white channels down his
cheeks.
"It's all gomez he shouted. "Noth
ing but scrap-iron and junk. Well
have a bargain salei" He recognized
Wilton and seized him by the arm.
"Who set that blazer" he screamed.
"Man. there was gasoline, gallons Of
II, soaking the sheds before ever the
fire come there. They were soaked
with II. Who did IL? Show me the
d-n skunk |" he shouted. half beside
himself.
~ upesH Hhattci now, Sdiu WI
ton.
MCGEE raved, cursing and sohbing.
and suddenly rushed away into the
smoke and was lost TO view.
Wilton was making his way toward
his shack before II 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 confiagration. though
nothing REMAINED OF Kitty's hut a few
~blackened beams. A backfre 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
hal 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 Ore was
OF his making.
And ever that did not matter. /.
At the door OF his shack he stopped
lie had a strange Instinct NJ danger
the instinct OF the beast returning Ia
It's den. which tells n that something
mas heen there during It's absence.