Hyder weekly herald., 1932-04-02
Firefghter
By H. LOUIS RAYBoLD
GO by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicatel fWNU Servicel

A MOTHER fire on Bald Peak Jane. \ from Ter bungalow veranda, watched the menacins spiral of smoke rising above the blotch nt pines on the distant mountain. Probably the ranger had long ago detected 1t and called out his tirefghters. Valiant men who la bored hard for board and dollar a day and yet over whom jusi now hov- cred cloud of suspicion like that white smoke now settling upon old Bald Peaks slope.
 For three weeks not drop of rain had fallen. Everywhere the woods were finder dry. And, in spite of posted warnings one fire after an- other had blaZed out to be conquered only after ihe most arduous efforts.
 Already people were beginning to say, Are the fires being set?" And. if they were, what was the object? What man needed dollar day with board thrown in so badly that he was willing to run the risk of jail sen tence, to say nothing of burdenins his conscience with possible loss of life?
 
 available in this part of the country. Jane ran them over in her mind. Men from the lumber camps, most of them native sons-the young boys of the town who enjoyed the eXcitement-
 A sudden snapping of branch startled her. She turned to see a stranger coming up the path. tall fellow in disreputable sweater, patched trousers, shoes that were gray with dust.
 "Wonder if you could give me lit- tie information" he drawled. "Where do go to join up with the fire br- gade?"
 Jane looked at him moment curi- Ously before replying. Then she said a funny thing, considering the needy appearance of the youth before her. "rhey only pay a dollar day and board"
 There are times when that is for tune"
 Jane shrugged her shoulders. "Oh." she said. Well, you go down 10 the fire warden's next to the post office. Likely he'll be glad to sign on an other man." Then she turned away. but for the rest of the day she found herself curiOusly disturbed. Suppose that he was the man who had been setting the fires!
 For several days she heard no more of him. Then, at the supper table, her brother, for whom she kept house. remarked casually, 'I understand they think they've found the ttrebug. Some new fellow just come to town"
 That night, famed by northwest wind. a whirlwind of flame swept Bold Peak. At midnight the church bells were started ringing, the fire siren screeched, automobiles collecting fire fighters tore up and down the streets.
 Jane. hastily donning flannel shirt, tlnlckers and heavy boots. insisted on climbing in beside her brother.
 All night long the lines of grimy. smOke-stained men labored nightly. digging trenches, building back fires. Juggling water. And side by side with them toiled Jane, herself grimy and smoke-staned, but, thrilled 10 her in- most being by the excitement of it.
 And most of the time beside her worked the gray-eyed stranger who was the object of so many suspicious glances.
 Yet he seemet to work more easily than any of them. whistling cheerfully and occasionally breaking into snatches of gay song.
 Sometimes he talked with Jane, ask ing casual questions about those around him. Do you know that fel- low over there in the torn gray jer- sey?"
 Surely. Known him all my life He's the town clerks son."
 And that man with the pail?"
 Roy Libby. Runs the garage."~ And that boy in the oyeraIs, the if he's had one?" "Why, let me see that must be-" But Jane did not finish her sentence. At that moment one of those giants of the forest that have stood for genera tions and seem likely to stand for gen. eratiOns more. shivered where il was. swayed, hesitated, then crashed to the ground three seconds after Jane had felt herself seized in pair of strong young arms and thrown clear inlo a pile of brush. And, strange though it may seem, for the instant that she was in his arms. Jane know that she cared for this man of whom she knew so little and about such dreadful things were being whispered. Dawn found the fire checked, after acres of green forest had been meta morphosed into scared and desolate waste. Jane. eating her seventh pancake I passed out by the busy crew of cooks, looked up to see tall figure slip into 1 the seat beside her. We've got the 1