Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1922-09-22


of the way, TO beat out the patches Of
flame that would spring up from the
burning brands carried over 1t by the
wind
The conflagration came roaring
down on them before many minutes
had passed. 1t seemed to gather force
as it advanced. The smoke was su-
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
ring of flame. The trees and grass
were alight behind them. And along
the muskeg edge the confiagration 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 ii on his lips.
OF 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 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
keg, 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 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 ST. ,med through the camp, |
spreading the destruction.
The encircling arms of the cOnfla- !
grafton had thrust their fingers al
about them through the forest which /
was abaze 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 fiercely with an in
tense 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 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
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-
leer His hair was crisped like a ne
yro's-he was as black, and the tears
had furrowed white channels down his |
cheeks.
ITS all gonew he shouted. Moth !
ng but scrap-iron and junk. Wen
nave bargain salel" He recognized
Wilton and seized him by the arm. ,
who set that blazer" he screamed.
Man, there was gasoline, gallons of
t, soaking the sheds before ever the
ire come there. They were soaked
With it. Who did it? Show me the S
In skunk !" he shouted, half beside e
himself. S
ut doesn't matter now" said VIII
on.
MCGEE raved, cursing and sobbing, d
nd suddenly rushed away into the h
moke and was lost to view "
Wilton was making his way toward =.
rs Snack DeIOre IL occurred TO Ilm
hat he would not find It. Yet there
vas the safe. He would stay guard
yer that To his immense surprise, "
owever, he discovered that the shack .
ad escaped the conflagration, though G.
othing remained of Kitty's but few n
lackened beams. A backfre had
cen set successfully. The grass was
urned all about the place, and some v
f the timbers were scorched, but that 81
'as all. The shack was an oasis in
ne devastation of cinders. Jules D
al stuck to his post. -
Wilton knew there had been treach- =,
~. He knew that Bowyer's appear -
nee at the portage had not been
nance. Bowyer had not driven miles
'om Cold Junction by coincidence. C
yilton had no doubt that the fire was 81
his making B
And even that did not matter h,
At the door of his shack he stopped.
e had strange instinct of danger
lie instinct of the beast returning to n,
$ den, which tells it that something
rs been there during its absence.