The Coolidge examiner., 1934-03-30

lowed him 10 another Interval of
heart breaking. lung soaring work.
Coming great lads be cried
when that particular engagement
was son "All right Mac. She's
cooler. now Cross over and touch
on some more. Give Us "A few min
utes every ten rods or So and don't
ge, caught yourself Keep TO the
west Of your backfre all the time.
lie made his way eastward.
mounting n sharp little knoll 50 he
could nave a fair view Of the ter
rain.
on beyond. great plumes OF
smoke gushed upward cruptyely as
the front Of the main ere opened
and closed again. It's points Joining
forces here and there TO create great
quantities of gas
II was coming rapidly. Two. per
haps three miles an hour that front
was travelling. His backhre was
small and relatively cool. and stlll
be had held the nrst section OF II
by the skin of his teeth what would
happen II the main ere reached the
creek before be had burned a gap
all across It's way. or II the wind
rose higher 90 make Il roll even
more rapldly1
For n fun half mile 10 The west
ward that backdre must be laid In
before the front Of The burning area
would be wholly blocked. II did
not seem 90 Steve that bis crew
could possibly hold the pace for the
length 81 time that would be re-
quired.
lie needed men. now: all along
this battle line be needed them;
more men and fresh men. because
an hour In there was more exacting
than a dozen at ordinary labor
And the men were coming. At
least two men. They bad been com
Ing down the Good Bye since early
day and as they saw the smoke they
came faster. padding In quick ca
dcnce They we're sialwart men.
LaFane in the stern. sat as straight
as a proud indian. The other was
not quite 50 large Of frame. not so
deep In color. but Young Jim
Flynn's eyes were clear. his mouth
set In a line of assuring firmness and
he bore his share of the task with
relish different boy. this, from
the one who had been kidnapped
from his camp IN a drunken stupor
days before: another lad than the
one who had defed bis cuptor and
sulked and sworn that he would not
do as hidden Resolution. ability
seemed 20 be his characteristics
this hot. windy morning as the
canoe finally cut the waters Of
Good Bye lake
From the knoll on which he was
directing the redistribution of his
forces. Steve Drake could have OBJ
served the landing % that canoe.
but his eyes and attention were cen
tered on the area he sought 20 save
from destruction. 50 be was not
aware of their arrival until they
approached. LaFane In the lead.
zone Of you" Steve began.
pointing toward n place that need
ed guarding.
lie stopped short lie hsd ad-
dressed LaFane. The upralsed
hand Sagged and then be turned TO
stare At Young Jim
The boy looked straight into the
eyes Of the man who. for these
weeks. had used bis name. II was
n hard look, square look. difficult
20 determine because of It's Sobriety
whether II was one OF regard or
oYense And then. after a moment,
the lad smiled
You're Steve Drake he said
and put out his hand
Steve did not speak lie was
searching the others countenance
and thinking swiftly OF what hinged
on the nature OF LaFane's handI-
work. The real Young Jim was
/ here. now. Pretense was done, a
play ended. The Flynns must from
/ this hour take their destinles In
their hands and win or lose.
He shot an inquirlng glance nj
LaFane. The mans lips twitched
and his eyes smoldered.
"You bet :" he said In response
10 the unspoken query and his
voice carried more enthusiasm than
Drake had ever heard In II before.
"Goodr he muttered. You've
hit the Job at the right time. Jim :
/ Until now. I've run things high.
wide and handsome. but from now
/ on
Not yet, Drakel Lord. man.
you've got 10 stay on the Job
through thlsl I'm just bringing In
another pair OF hands and a toler-
ably good back. What'll you have
me do first7"
That was good sense Even
though he was no longer even a
usurper OF authority Steve could
not then take time TO confer with
the newcomer. His task. this day.
could not be shouldered on another.
But as he outlined what had hap
nened. what had been done. how he