The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-02-22

was gone, roaring gases no longer gave
impetus to the spread of destruction
as the first need for speed became less
imperative.
Not until the final curl Of smoke
had been subdued completely did Ben
Elliott relax. Then, with lantern light
ed, he entered the saw floor, complete
ly ice glazed, charred in places, and
surveyed the damage. AS he swung
at timbers eaten half away, at burned
betting, at other vital damage, he
moved slowly, said little, as a man will
who is thinking soberly.
He stopped beside Able Armitage
finally.
swell, the insurancell cover it." the
old justice said, as If trying to make
the best Of things.
Ben laughed shortly.
"But she's two weeks idle at the
inside. And betting gone and good
many other things If
"Say, chum!"
1t was the night Waterman, sheathed
in flakes of ice from his waist down.
whom Ben hailed.
where were your"
Eating, when it broke out" Ben
only nodded. The Waterman, by long
custom, went to the boarding house
kitchen for his midnight meal where
food was kept warm for him. Il went
through the yard and the mill, just
like you've told me to do. l looked In
at the boiler the last thing. hadn't
been out of here ten minutes before
just happened to glance through the
window and see it,"
yeah. Gasoline starts in hurry"
Gasoline !" the Waterman croaked.
Sure" Ben laughed drily. THE
ground floor was drenched with 1t.
They'd scraped rubbish into piles and
soaked them, too. They almost did
good job. Almost five minutes start.
or If hadn't happened to see garage
fire put out with salt once where moth
ing else was handy to smother 1t, and
it'd have been all day with u.s."
He rubbed his chin, thoughtfully.
Didn't see anybody? Or hear any
body|
mot soul or sound"
Elliott looked up. No snow was
falling.
"Buller!" he called. The foreman,
face blackened, eyebrows gone, came
up at his hail. Herd this crew in close.
1t showed early in the evening. Maybe
I'll want to do a job of trailing and
/ don't want tracks all over the coun-
try"
He did his job of trailing. The fresh
tracks of a single man led away from
the trampled snow about the mill
toward decks of logs. The tracks went
out along the siding toward town but
Ben did not follow far. He stopped
when he found a three-gallon demi-
john badly concealed beneath the end
of log. He shifted its neck and nodded
grimly. The fuel of an incendiary had
been carried to the mill In that con-
tainer.
"And now," Able said, after he also
had shifted the bottle in Buffers house,
whats to be done" He tried to
smile but deep trouble was in his old
eyes.
For the first time since he had come
to Hoot Owl Ben Elliott shook his
head obviously as he dropped into a
chair. He was both grave and troubled.
They're getting the least bit rough"
he observed.
Rather rough, I'd say" Able's face
flared suddenly in righteous wrath.
"D-n Nick Brandon! I'd give good
deal to hang this nights work on him ~
Ben laughed briefly. Don't hope for
miracles yet." he advised.
It'll take no less than a miracle
now to pull us through. Two weeks
to. get the mill running? Benny, in
that time We'll be busted wide open
They'll have case against me, I'll be
walked as administrator and the tim
Der will be at Brandon's mercy"
yeah. j. Wide open and
at his mercy"
Able rose and paced the small room,
hands in his hip pockets. He came to
a halt before Elliott and eyed him mar
rowly. He stood so moment as If in
debate with self.
I'VE had fire." he said. "Not the
kind you fight with fire. exactly. .
But old Don told Bird-Eye that you'd
have to use fire to fight another kind
with, didn't he?"
Ben smiled slowly.
You're thinking of the old timers
letter. EN-? Well, maybe .
But we're not licked yet. Something
may turn up. No. guess l won't use
whatever it was Stuart gave me just
yeti"
The old man shook<his head and re-
sumed his pacing.
"What can turn up to give US fight
ing chance, nOw?" he muttered.