Glacier County chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1931-1940, 1939-05-26

0e&A IA G ox1o 0lC uCeDGI IO8I low
the main blaze below.
By nine o'clock he had reached
the canyon bottom and was firing
his line up the side. But strength
was gone from his arms. Breath
came in thin gasps, hot and lifeless.
His body burned as If from some
dry fever. He began to see red
spots. Savagely he brushed them
away, but one remained. It grew
even as he looked, frightening into
ribbon there on the canyon bank
above him.
He stared, then suddenly knew.
Relief had comel That was back
fire being built toward his position.
He swung on with az and hook.
The line ahead advanced, until in
the calm Of ten o'clock, the two were
almost Joined. He shouted through
the brush: "Slimi Cookl"
II there was an answer, the snap
OF flames drowned 1t. He cut through
a wall Of chinkapin. A voice met
him and he halted, speeches., gap
ing into Louise Temples smoke
lined face.
"You here?" he managed at last.
"On the job, RangerI Cook tele-
phoned to the Meadow asking for
help. / came" Louise relaxed on
her shovel handle.
Brock moved back from the heat
and sat down, all at once sick and
cursing himself for being so weak.
The girl came to him.
Don't mind me-" he protested.
I'm fine rangeri"
Louise held a canteen to his lips.
What do you expect, after a fight
like this? Now sit here. It's all
right. See? The wind has shifted at
last"
Brock looked through half blind
eyes. The change had come. His
back fire was sweeping down, lick
ing into the line below. A wave Of
flame shot up as the two met. It
fell at once, broke into isolated Sec
tons and vanished with incredible
swiftness. Only snags Of standing
timber were left to blaze against the
night.
"And that's that" said Louise, be-
side him. I'VE won't even have to
watch those snags. It's going to
rain. I felt a mist when I came
over the ridge" She held up her
hands. ''There!"
Breck turned his face to the sky.
feeling a moist breeze descend as
the heat Of fire subsidized. He stood
up, taking the girls arm. 1--WE got
a camp lower down. We'd better
get under cover"
Even as they reached their horses
and rode to the stream, the mist be-
came a drizzle. In camp, Brock
hung a tarpaulin between two trees,
pegged one edge Of it back to make
a lean-to, and built a fire in front.
His bed roll he threw inside for a
seat and then went down to the pool
to wash.
When he returned Louise had
started meal, and though rain was
falling about him he halted to watch
her. She sat on saddle close to
the fire, the red light upon a pensive
face, her small figure bent, with
knees drawn up. A coffee pot
steamed over the Goals. Something
fried in the pan she held.
He remained silent until Louise
announced, IF you're hungry
enough, you can begin on this gov
eminent mule. I'm starved"
With tin plates on the blanket
roll, they sat opposite each other,
their saddles for seats. Brock tried
to capture again the feeling that
they belonged like this always. He
wanted to forget the Tillsons, the
nesters, and the troubles of his Job.
But thought had come and would
not be put down.
Why had she not been surprised
at finding him alone? She had not
asked about crew, nor mentioned
the Pothole people. For a time he
avoided bringing it up. Perhaps she
would say something. But she did
not.
RIO BE CONTINIJEDJ