The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-02-25
CHAPTER NNNNI
PLOTTING FIRE

ftOliTtNG FIRE
sanders was in the office Of the
Jackpot company looking over some
blue prints when Joyce Crawford
came in aud inquired where her
father was.
Dad told me something last
night. Mr.. sanders. lie said might
pass Il ON TO you aud Bob. though
Il ISN'T TO so farther. It's about that
ten thousand dollars he paid the
hank when II called hts loan. lie got
the money from Buck Byington."
Buck exclaimed tho young man.
He was thinking tina, the Buck he
used to know never had ten dollars
saved. let alone ten thousand.
y know" shc exclaimed That's
- The money wasn't HIS He's
executor or something for the chil.
arvn ~ his dead brother. This
money had come In from the sale OF
. farm hack In Iowa and he was
waiting for an order OF the court
for permission TO invest II Ia mort.
gage. When he heard Dad was 80
desperately hard w for cash he lct
him have the money. He knew Dad
would ray u hack. but seems what he
did was against the law. even tho
Dad gave him his note and a ehattcl
mortgage on some cattle which Buck
wasn't 20 record. Now Il has been
Strengthened out. That's why Dad
craldnt tell where he got the money,
Buck would have been In trouble.
II See."
A shadow darkened the doorriil
and Bob Hart stepped into the office.
His first words were ominous. but
eefor. he spoke both Of those looking
al him knew he was the bearer of
had news. There was IN his boyish
face an unwonted gravity.
Fire In the chaparrssl. Dave. and
going strong"
Sanders spoke one word. ~Where-ss
''started in Rear Canon. but it's
jumped out into the hills"
Joyce guessed tho situation was a
desperate one. is Dad In danger7"
Pho asked
Hart answered. "No-not now.
anyhow"
What can I do 10 help"
wen have hundreds % men In
the field probably. II this fire has a
real start Dave told her. Wen
need food and coffrc--iots Of n. or.
gansxe the women. Make uca, sand.
hundreds Of them. And ncnd
out to the Jackpot dorrns OF coffee
pots. Your job Is to keep tho work.
.rs we'll fed. Better send out hand.
ages and saive. in case some set
burnt
Sanders was on the read inside Of
twenty minutes, a group Of horse.
tnen galloping AZ his heels AZ the
Jackpot locations the fire fighters
equipped themselves with shoveis,
sacks. axes and brush hooks. The
PARTY. sim on horseback. rode up
70 the mouth OF Bear Canon. Thru
the smoke the sun was blood red. The
AIR was heavy and heated.
From the fire line Crawford came
TO meet these new allies. We're
hoidiu' her here. It's been nip an
tuck Once thought 81 - she'd
break thru. but we beat out the
blaze. hadn't time TO 70 look.
but expect she's just a-r'arin' over
the hills. I've had some teams and
scrapers taken up there. Dave. It's
l-iorc job. Go 10 it,
Even before he could spend time 20
determine the extent OF the fire.
Dave selected his line Of defense. a
ridge OF rocky. higher ground cutting
across from one gulch TO the other.
Here he set teams To work srraping
4 -
shoveIs and brush hooks TO clear a
wide path.
The surface fire on the hills licked
up the brush. mesquite and young
cedars with amazing rapidity. 10 HIS
trail break was built in time. Dave
meant to back.flr above u. Steve
Russell was one OF his party. Sand
ers appointed him lieutenant and
went over the ground with him "a
decide exactly where the clearing
should run, after which he gaiiopcd
back to the mouth OF Bear.
she's running Mild on the hills
and IN Cattle Canon Dave told
Crawford she'll sure jump Cattle
and reach San Jacinfo. We've go,
20 hold the mouth Of Cattle. build a
trail between Bear and Cattle. an.
other between Cattle and San Jacin
to. cork her UP in San Jacinto. and
keep her from jumping 10 the hills
beyond"
~Can we back-fire. do you reci,on,.
mot with the wind there Is above
!. unless We have check trails bull
DArst. We need several hundred
more meh. and we need them right
away"
wen. get yore trail built Bof
ough.ta be out soon. III put hin
over between Cattle and San Jacin
70. Three-four men can hold hel
here now. III move my outfit ove'
10 the mouth OF Cattle"
Sanders rode up as close 10 ths
west edge % Bear Canon as hs
the flames had Jumped the wall ant
we're trying to make Roadway in IN.
scant underbrush OF the rocky siop'
that led to n hoEback surmountes
by a bare rirnrock running 10 IN.
summit. This natural barrier wouls
black the fire on the west, just NJ
the burnt-over area would protect tn
north. For the present at least tn
fire-fighters could confine their 81
forts 20 the south and east, wher'
the spread ~ the blaze would involv'
tho Jackpot A shift in the wins
would change the situation. and II !
came IN time would probably saw
the oil property.
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