Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-03-14
nN Two PARTs-PART TWol

ON TWO PARTS-PART TWO)
When she next saw Junes father h
was one Of q line Of men carrying
ladder down the drive. The barn EN-
OF the Farmers Exchange had caugh
| az last. The hay was smoideFing il
l there. within thicknesses of smoke shl
could just discern the rubber hat Of
volunteer who had gained the roof. Hi
hatchet made blurred strokes He Lar
fiat for q second and suddenly he wal
not there and rubber hats swarmeC
along the ladder.
With the others she crossed the high
way to the Heller place.
Il don't care about nothing else.
Mrs. Heller cried, stalking up her flag
stone walk, Honly them quilts for the
girls. don't aim 10 feed them to any
firel"
Sparks flew as from under a black
smiths hammer over the Heller wood
shed. Who'd" children hollered. watch
ing them flicker out ON the decrepit
roof OF the little yellow house. June's
father was helping to carry across the
highway the man who had fallen into
the hay. He had lost his hat and his
face was red as a beet and dirty. They
laid the volunteer down on the walk.
Mrs. Plummer pulled at the coat
sleeve of June's father.
Tom Strong" he explained. sHe
got overcome by smoke. They're trying
to make a hole in that hay for the
hose. You better go on up to June's
and stay there. Go on away from here
anyhow. See. the front Of the garages
caught. The tanks may blow I'D. Watch
it! See thatl The pumpsl"
''T.he pumps?" So many people crowd
ed about them she couldn't see thing.
"The glass burst. The glass burstl
The glass Of the pumps. Go on awayl
There's $500 gallons of gasoline in
the tanksl"
By the time the fire truck from
Willow whiZzed up 1t was very welcome.
for shed by the wholesale house had
caught fire, too. It had no reason to
catch; the wind did not set in that di-
rection. But the force Of example per-
haps had proved too much for II. There
1t was burning merrily with the help
Of oil soaked siding, while a covey of
storage tanks, silver and red, perched
a few feet away. Each held q thousand
gallons OF gas. There were six tanks.
Riding out to, June's house with Mrs. |
Yates, Mrs. Plummer tried to recall |
tunes most precious possessions. Get |
he kids and get In the car and keep /
l-goin'l" Mr.. Yates had shouted. II |
he heat unsoldered the connections of |
he storage tanks six thousand gallons
u gas would send the town flying to
-ingdom come, most certainly those
houses whose back yards ran parallel
With the right OF way "And wherein
'ou go?" Mrs. Yates shouted back.
Me? Maybe III go to heaven and
maybe won't" Mrs. Yates was a little
Voman, much more collected than her
DICE. She stared at her husbands re-
reat1ng back. She drew in her breath
harplv. "May.,e the tanks won't CO."
he said. Il just don't believe they'll go"
he said. do you think so, Mrs. Plum
ler?" Mrs. PllImmer didn't think so. ]
Down the long block to Mrs. Yates
ouse they decided resolutely that It
'as just a scare. Mrs. Plummer checked
erseh on the point Of saying how
thankful she was that June and Pete
nd the boys were in Ava. She did not I
lention June'S father. Was June wear
lg her engagement ring? It seemed to
Lrs. Plummer that June did wear it
hen she went out i. that tiny gold
atch that had belonged TO June's
-andmOther and the silver chain, {
lilies of course, but June cherished
lem =. what ought she to do? Ought +
Re to pack suitcase Of Junes things? a
ad she timer
In the center of Junes living room t
le stood and the set and the little
bles and the lamps and old bridge
ICES Of ash trays like skulls and door F
cps like black cats crowded upon her. n
ow much people could pack into q p
ON, into housed She turned toward "
e front bedroom, paused and started "
the dining room. June had q set Of