The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-14
BEGIN HERE TODAY

Calvin Gray is the enemy of Col
onel Henry Nelson of Dallas. Gray
is in love with Barbara Parker,
who buys land for Nelson. Gray is
friendly with the Briskow family.
Bud, the son, has charge of his
fathers oil. wells. Allie, the daugh-
ter, is spending a few days with
her brother. While watching opera
tions at the oil fields, Gray is in
jured and Allie nurses him. A heavy
rainfall swells the waters surround
ing the cabin where Allie is caring
for Gray. The water is thickly
coated with oil from bursting tanks
Bud goes to bring doctor to ad-
minister to Gray.
NOW GO ON WITH STORY
Gray laid strong hold Of himself
but it is not easy to subdue thought,
and he could feel those strong
smooth, velvet arms encircling him.
Disorder without and chaos within
this house! The heavens rumbled
like nightly drumhead, the light
ming made useless the feeble ray in
his hand. It was the place, the hour
of impulse. Gray swore savagely at
himself, then he stumbled into his
room and dressed himself more full
ly.
well, there doesn't seem to be
much change" he said, cheerfully,
as he opened Allies door awhile
later. 1.-THE fires don't seem to be
spreading" She was sitting where
he had left her, she had not moved.
Anything new on this side?"
Allie shrugged; slowly she turned,
exposing face tragic and stony. II
guess you don't think much of me-"
she said.
Indeed" he declared, heartily.
"This is enough to brighten any
body. don't mind saying it has
upset me. But the worst is over
He laid reassuring hand upon her
| shoulder.
CHAPTER XVII
introduced TO 4 Lady
BUDDY BRISKOW had difficulty
in getting out of the valley on his
way for doctor. for never had the
roads ceen like this. He drove reck-
lessly: where necessary he disre-
garded fences and pushed across
pastures that were hub deep. he
even burst through occasional
thickets in defiance Of axle and tire.
He drowned his motor finally in
! fording a rely stream and aban-
| doned the car.
He came into Ranger that after
noon on the back of a truck horse
that he had borrowed-without the
owners consent. For time it
/ seemed that if he got a doctor at all
he would have to follow a similar
procedure, but the Briskow name
was powerful, and Buddy. talked in
big figures, so eventually he set out
on the return journey-this time in
a springless freight wagon drawn
by the stoutest team in town. A
medical man was on the seat beside
him.
1t was after midnight when Buddy
and his miserable companion gained
the comparatively easy going of the
last ridge, that flinty range beyond
which lay the Briskow farm.
Buddy stopped at drilling camp
where lights showed the occupants
to be astir, and there he received
confirmation of his fears. The flats
beyond were inundated to a depth
rendering travel impossible, and al
though some Of the men stationed
out there had managed to work
their way back, others were, for
the. time being, hopelessly cut off.
II guess / can swim, if try. Fell
er can do most anything if he has
to- How about you, Doc?" Buddy
turned to his travelling companion.
The latter shook his head posi-
lively. "You're crazy, Briskow.
We'd probably drown. If we didn't,
we'd be burned alive when that
loose oil catches fire"
Buddy cursed furiously and
lurched toward the door. 1t took
force to restrain him from going.
The rain sceased with the passing
OF the electrical storm, but the late
hours. of the night were thick and
the fires continued to burn. 1t
seemed as if morning would never
come.
With the first light Buddy mount
ed one of his horses, and. regardless
of admonitions, set out. In miles
he had NO great distance to 60;
nevertheless, it was midday before
he came in sight of his fathers un-
painted farmhouse, and when he
dismounted at the front porch he
fell rather than walked through the
door.
Even after he had been helped in
to the kitchen and his wet clothes
had been stripped from him, he
could tell little about his trip, but
hot food and drink brought him
around. and then, indeed, his story
was one that deeply touched the cid
er man. ~ se;
Already the waters had ceased to
rise, but .Buddy's difficulty in get
ting through proved the folly of at
tempting to escape for the time be-