The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-13
FLOWING !; Z x
"a - <G9 OLD 1.
Wt&u ee.ye.es4 q 49,:

a whiplash vanish during its flight,
Buddy's booted legs were thrown
high, he was tossed aside like
thing of paper, but blind, half stQn-
ned, he scrambled back to his pAst.
BY this time the whole, structure of
the derrick was rocking to the mad
pvratiohs of the bull wheel; the
giant spool was spinning with
speed that threatened to send it
flying, lire the fragments of
bursting bomb, but the youth "
dersto God dimly the danger of stop
ping it too suddenly--to fetch up
the plunging weight at the cable
end might snap the line, collapse
the derrick, Jim" the well. Buddy
weaved dizzily in his tracks: never
theless, his hand was steady, and
he applied gradually increasing
pressure to the brake. Nor did he
take his eyes from his task until the
drum had ceased revolving and the
runaway bailer hung motionless u
the WE'LL, =.
They carried Gray to the bunk
house, and his limbs hung loosely,
his head lolled in manner terrfy-
ing to Budy and his sister.
But Gray was not dead. Buddys
blow had well-nigh broken his neck,
and he had suffered further in.
jury to his head in falling; never
theless, he responded to such med-
cal aid as they could supply, and in
time he opened his eyes.
When for a second time he lapsed
into semiconsciousness, it was Allie
Briskow who put his orders into ex-
ecution. you amt doing any good
standing around staring at him and
whispering. Bring in that WELL as
fast as ever you can, and bring it in
big. Now, get out and leave him to
me-"
1t was late that night when 1.-The
we'll came in. 1t came with a rush
and a roar, drenching the derrick
with geyser of muddy water and
driving both crew and spectators out
into the gloom. Up, up the column
rose, spraying itself into mist, and
unlike that of any other phenorhe-
non.
Calvin Gray had recovered his
senses sufficiently to understand
the meaning Of that uproar, and he
tried to get up, but Allie held him
down upon his bed. She was still
struggling with him when her
brother burst into the house. shout
ing.
ITS gasser, Mr.. Gray! Biggest
, | ever SEEN"
"Gas?' the latter mumbled, indis
tinctly. isn't there any-oil? ?" His
words were almost like whisper
because of the noise. =
mot, yet. May be later Sa1
she's a heller, amt she? III bet
she's maxim twenty million feet--p
"Gasser's no good"
Cant tell yet. We gotta shut
her down easy so she don't blow the
casing out-run wild on us, under
stand?' Buddy was still GREATNESS,
but he plunged out the door and
back into that sea of sound.
With tragic intensity akin to
wildness. Gray stared up into Allie
nrisko"s face. worthless, Ell?
And they told me ten thou sand bar
rels.' He carried shaking hand to
{ MS bandaged head and tried vainly
to collect his wits. whats mat
ter? he queried, thickly. Every.
thing whirling-sick--"
"You had an accident, but it'l all
right; all right-No, no! Please lie
still"
Running wild, Ell? Tha's what
hurts my head so. Blown the cas-
ing out-Bad, isn't it? Sometimes
they run wild for weeks, years-ruin
everything" He tried again to rise.
then insisted, ENORMOUSLY: Cot ITO
get Oil in this we'll! I've got to!
Last chance, Allie. Got to get ten
thousand barrels!"
| please! You Mustn't" Allie had
her strong hands upon his shout
ders; she was arguing firmly but as
gently as possible under the circum-
stances, when something occurred so
extraordinary, so unexpected, as to
paralyze her. OF sudden the in
terror of the dim-lit, canvas-roofed
shack was illuminated as if by a
searchlight, and she turned her
mead to-, see that the whole out-of
doors was visible and that the NIGHT
itself had turned into day.
! with cry that died weakly amid
the chaos of sound beating over her.
the girl ran to the windov and look.
cd out. What she beheld was a
, nightmare scene. The well was
afire. 1t had exploded into flame.
Allie tore her eyes away from the
spectacle finally. She turned back
to the bed, then she halted, for it
was empty. The, door, still ajar
from Buddy's headlong exit, inform
ed her whence her patient had gone,
and she flew after him.
She found him not half a dozen
PAGES away. In, fact, she stumbled
over his PROSTATE body. With al
amazon's strength, she gathered him
INTO her arms, then, staggered with
him back to his couch, and as she
strained him to herself she loudly
called his name.
/