The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-25
BY WILIIAM MacIEOD RAJ,

could endure. In two or three places
For hours the desperate battle
vent on. Dave lost count of time
One after another OF his men r..
treated to rest After a time they
drifted hack 20 help make the de
Tense good against the pluuRing fire
devn. Sanders atone refused to re.
tire. Ills parched eyebrows were
half gone, Hts clothes hung about
him In shredded rags. lie was 40
exhausted that no could hardly
WELD a flail. Ills legs dragged and
his arms hung heavy. But he would
not give up even for an hour.
Before the light OF day broke he
knew that he had won. His men
had make good the eheckt trail that
held back the fire In the terrain be.
tween Rear and Cattle Canons. The
fire. worn out and beaten. fell back
FOR lack OF fuel upon which to feed.
Dave left the trail in charge OF
a deputy and staggered down with
his men to the camp that had been
improyised below.
lite found his horse In tho rcmuda,
saddled. and rode over 10 the en-
trance 10 Cattle Canon.
Emerson Crawford was holding
his ground. though barely holding IL.
lie too was grimy, fire blackcned. ex
haustcd. but he was still fighting TO
throw back tho fire that swept down
the canon at him.
How are things up abovef'' he
"A al s44 :. hs... n
Good. We held tho check line. :"
Say. son. look who's h-rer' His
thumb hltched toward his right
shoulder.
Dave looked down the line OF
hlackened. grimy fir-.fiThters and
his eye fell on shorty. IA. was still
wearing chaps. but hts Chihuahua
hat had succumbcd long ago. Mani.
Testify the man had been on the
fighting line for Some hours.
Doesn't he know about the re.
ward"
~Yes. lie was hldin' In Maiapi
when the call came for men. Says
he's no quitter. whatever else he H.
You bet he amt. He's worth two
Of most men az this work. soon as
we get thru he'll be on the dodge
again. reckon. unless Applcgate
grts him first. He's a good sport.
anyhow. IN say that for him"
Dave rode along the front. stud
I ing tho contour 81 the country and
the chance Of defending IL. His judg
meni was that il could not be done
with the men on hand. lie was not
sure that the tine could be held
even with achievements. But there
was nothing for u but 20 try. lie
sent n man 10 Crawford. urging him
20 get help TO him as soon as pos.
sibie.
Then he took command OF the
crew already In the field. rcarranErd
the men so az 90 put the larger part
% his force in the most dangerous
locality. and IN default u sack
seized spreading branch an a fan
TO beat out fire In the high grass
close 10 san Jacin,o.
An hour later half dozen strag.
Cling men reported for duty. shorty
WAS orc Of them.
II occurred TO Dave that n the
wind changed Suddenly and height.
encd. }, would sweep a hack fire
round him and Gu, off the retreat
OF his crew. lie sent n weary lad
back TO keep watch on Y and report
any change Of direction in that VI.
entity.
After which he forgot all about
chances Of danger from Tho rear,
Hts hands and mind were more than
busy trying TO drive hack the sparl.
ms. ravenous beast In front ot him.
He might have found time 10 take
other precautions II he had known
that the exhausted boy cent 10 watch
against a baek.firc had. with the
coming Of night. fallen asleep In a
draw.