The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-07-05

Was wore alarming by far ia view
OF these blazing beaCons, was the
news that hugo gusher on sixteen
was Wild ana pouring It's milan.
mable flood out upon the surface OF
the water.
Buddy stood In the midst Of a
spreading puddle from HIS stream.
ms clothes. and thru ehattcring
teeth announced. "My sister and
Air. Gray aro out there. gotta
set thrur'
How you going 20 set thru. kldr'
one ~ the driilors inquired. 'OuT
men had TO swim in places"
II guess l can swim, n ! Try
Teller can DO most anything II he
has TO. How about you. DoeG
Buddy turned to his travelling com
panion.
The latter shook his head positive
~. You're crazy. Briskow. We'd
/ probably drown. II we didn't. we'd
be burned alive when that loose
oil catches fire
Looks like It's bound 20 catch
N this lightning keeps up." some
ono declared, Listen to That
Buddy cursed futlously and
lurchcd toward tho door II took
force 10 restrain him from going.
That was Indeed night of terror
IN tho oil fields. for destruction was
wholesale. and to those who were
/ fortunate enough 10 DO In no dan.
scr Il was scarcely less trying than
for the luclSless ones out IN the
flooded area, Buddy Brlskow VIA
hair demented. AZ ono time II
seemed certain that the aurfaee oil
was afiame near his fathers farm.
and the pictures no conjured W
wero unbearable.
Tho rain ceased with the passing
OF tho electrical storm. but tho late
hours OF the night were thick and
tho fires continued 10 burn. II
seem as II morning would never
come.
With tho first llgbt Buddy
mounted one OF his horses. and. &c.
gardless Of admoniiiona. set out. In
miles he had no great distance Ia
60: nevertheless. u WIS midday be
fore he came in sight OF bis faith
er's unpsintcd farmhouse. and when
no dismounted az the front porch
no fell rather than walked thru
tho door.
us broke down and blubbsred
weakly when he saw Calvin Gray
up and around and apparently well.
He collapsed into a chair and
huddled there In a wet hsap. the
whilo he sohbed and laughed hysteri-
cally. lie was considerably ashamed
OF his show OF feeling.
Even after no had been helped into
tho kitchen and MS wet clothes had
been stripped from him. no could
tel little about HIS trip. but hot food
and drink brought him around and
then. indeed. hts story was ono that
deeply touched tho elder man.
Already tho waters had ceased 10
rise. but Buddy's difficulty IN get.
ting thru proved tho folly OF at
tempting escape for the time being.
his horse had been forced 70 swim
with him In more than ono place:
In others no had waded waist deep.
stumbling thru thiekats. hauling the
animal after him oy main strength.
There was nothing 10 do. Il seemed.
but await subsistence Of the flood
Then. too, the boy was half dead
for sleep.
Under the circumstances II was
not easy for the elder man 20 face
this delay. His affairs were Ia a
precarious condition and moro 10
need OF his immediate attention
than ever before. to be cut off.
therefore. TO be lost for several
days Mt this particular time was
more than rnisfortuue--lt was a
catastrophe. Such vague plans as
he had considered he was now
forced TO abandon. He could stN
ruin ahead.
One purpose this enforced Idle.
ness did serve. however; Il enabled
hlm--nay. Il forced him-to evolve
new scheme OF relief. Some minds
become paralyzed in moments Of
panic. others function with uncx.
pected clearness and ingenuity. and
his was such mind. An idea
came 10 him. finally. which seemed
sound. the more he thought about
IL. Indeed. its possibilities galvan
nd him, and he wondered why he
had been 80 long In arriving at Il.
! II was spectacular. daring. IL might