Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1922-09-15

that was belnS pushed q left no time
for anything else.
Backhring was impossible, for shC
wind came up the cleared road from
the muSkeS with hurricane force. WI
ton posted his men along the near side
OF the way, TO beat u 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. 1t seemed to gather force
as 1t advanced. The smoke was sti-
fling. They could see one another
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 flame. The trees and grass
were alight behind them. And along
the muskeg edge the conflagration had
thrust out gripping tentacles of flame
that edged round and In toward the
engine-shedS.
Shouting to 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 1t on his lips.
OF 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 clench his fists was this: the fire
was moving eastward and yet 1t could
not have started on the west bank, for
here the trestlinS 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.
1t 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 a black, sticky smoke
that clogged the fighters lungs and
settled in fine particles of black dust
MI over them. Drums of oil and gaso-
line exploded with the salvoes Of mr..
shooting up streamers of flame
Rivulets of fire broke forth
and streamed through the camp,
the destruction.
The encircling arms of the confa-
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 a few minutes. |
and now glowed fiercely with an In |
heat, but without flame.
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 a few
men and told them to take spades and
brow up mounds along the courses Of
torrents, In order to divert them.
The Hunkies. mad with drink, gath
red In clusters at the doors of the
and jeered at the men
Who fought to ave them; and these,
~disconsolate to care, having Mt
secured the remaining structures,
lung down their spades and drew out
# their way. Everyone knew this was
he end.
Out of the smoke came the figure
4 MCGEE, the head locomotive engi-
eer. His hair was crisped like a ne
ro's-he was as black, and the tears
I'D furrowed white channels down his
IT'S all gone!" he shouted. "Noth-
1g but scrap-irOn and junk. Well
ave a bargain sale!" He recognized
and seized him by the arm.
Who set that blazer" he screamed.
Man, there was gasoline, gallons Of
!, soaking the sheds before ever the
re come there. They were soaked
18th 1t. Who did 1t? Show me the
N skunk" he shouted, half beside
lmself.
ut doesn't matter now" said Will
IN.
MCGEE raved, cursing and sobbing,
nd suddenly rushed away into the
noke and was lost to view.
Wilton was making his way toward
Is shack before 1t occurred to him
lat he would not find it. Yet there
as the safe. He would stay guard I
yer that. To his immense surprise, I
,wever, he discovered that the shack |
I'd escaped the cOnflagration, though
'thing remained of Kitty's but n few ,
ackened beams. A backfre had
set successfully. The grass was q
lrned all about the place, and some $
the timbers were scorched, but that
all. The shack was an oasis In c
e devastation of cinders. Jules I
ii stuck TO his post. Q
Wilton knew there had been treach- q
y. He knew that Bowyer's appear- I
zee at the portage had not been
ance. Bowyer had not driven miles y
om Cold Junction by coincidence. Il
ilton had no doubt that the fire was &
his making. .
And even that did not matter. (