San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-04
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not worth your tears, child. And, any.
how. I'm all right again; ! am, in
deed. I'm as well as ever, so far as
l can tell. By the way, what set the
well afire:"
Buddy thinks somebody must have
dropped a cigarette when the stampede
came. The girl raised her face and
wiped the tears from it.
1T has been raining cats and dogs
the creek. has overflowed and every.
thing is under water"
Under water? Here? Why, that
can't be-" Gray insisted upon rising
and Allie finally consented to his do.
ing, so /; then, despite his protest that
he was quite able to take care of him.
self, she helped him TO the window
From that position he beheld a sur
prising scene.
The Briskow farm lay in a flat
saucer-like valley, arid and dusty a.
mos. season of the year, but now Q
shallow lake, the surface of which was
broken by occasional fences, misty
clumps of bushes, or the tops of dead
weeds. The nearest Briskow derrick
was dimly visible, its floor awash, it,
shape suggestive of the battle mast OF
sunken man-of-war.
Allegheny Briskow sang while she
prepared supper, for the reaction from
the strain of the last twelve hours was
like an intoxication. Mr.. Gray was in
no further danger; he was well except
for bAndoged head and some bruises
And he was here alone with her.
Supper, when the two sat down to
it, proved to be pleasant meal, for
the soft glow of the lamp, the warmth
from the stove, made of the Briskow
Kitchen coy place, while the drum.
ming of the rain overhead enhanced
their feeling of comfort and security.
During the night an explosive
crash followed by a loud reverbera-
-ti0n 'awoke Calvin Gray and brought
him up sitting. His room was lit by
white flickers, against which he saw
that the rain still sheeted his win
dows; he fumbled for his watch and
found that it was 2 o'clock. This was
storm, indeed, and he began to fear
that this deluge might swell the wa
tiers to a danger point; therefore he
rose, struck a light, and dressed him
self. Sleep was out OF the question,
how, amid such an uproar. He stepped
out upon the front porch, his atten.
ton was instantly drawn to yellow
glow in the west, a distant torch, the
flame of which illuminated the angry
night. He stared at it for moment
before he realized its meaning.
Hearing an exclamation behind
him, Gray turned to behold Allie
Briskow's dim figure in the door.
| Hello !" he cried, excitedly.- did
you see that? Wonder are two wells
afire. ~
II know. 1 haven't closed my eyes.
You can see another from my win
dow" Allie snapped the light from
a pocket flash upon Gray, and, not
ing that he was Only partly clad,
she urged him to come into the
house. When he ignored the request
the joined him, and together they
stared at the mounting flames.
glove! That's terribfc!' he NUT
tered E
Look here" Allie directed the
beam of her light down over the edge
of the porch, and moved it,slowly from
side to side. The surface of the wa
ter was not only burdened with de-
bris. but also it was thick with oil.
"It's just like that on the other side
That gusher on sixteen must be wild"
81 daresay it won't get any worse. "
Gray spoke with carelessness that
he was far from feeling, but his tone
did not deceive the girl.
1T doesn't have TO get any worse,
she declared, impatiently. "There's oil
enough here to burn. We're in the
middle of lake of it. What'll hap
pen if it. catches fire?'
AT least we'll be as well off in
side as out here" Gray declared, and
his companion agreed, so together they
went into her room, where, side by
side. they peercd through her window.
"I've read about this sort of
thing" Allie was saying. tanks
bursting and river afire. 1t spreads
all over, the fire does, and there's no
putting it out"
"One thing sure, this lightning won't
last long"
! A blue glare and ripping explo