Evening star., 1941-09-14

washed up. Pretty cold, he said.
"Yes," said Julie Thanks for build
ing the fire" The morning kiss would
have warmed her more than the fire.
Bill tackled his bacon and eggs.
You didn't really mean what you
said last night, did you, baby?"
'If you mean about moving to the
village - yes, meant it, Bill"
He poured coffee. Doesn't seem
quite warranted"
Julie forced herself to eat. Bill"
she said, farming is teamwork
proposition. With you spending half
the time in New York, I'd have to
hire help. 1t wouldn't be our place
any more"
"I'll make enough money so that -
oh, hell" He stopped.
Julie asked. did you fix the light
switch in the COW tie-up?"
"I'll fix it later" Bill said. "Or you
can get your pal Everett Woodman to
fix it. He knows everything" He
donned his old flying jacket and left.
Julie stood back from the window
and watched Bill drive from the yard.
shoulders and chin. stubbornly set. She
bit her lip few seconds, and the tears
came. She collapsed in chair and let
herself co..
Bill flew over around four O'Clock.
She went out and waved as he zoomed
the house. A flivver was parked in the
driveway. A tall, bony individual in
dungarees stood gawking at the plane.
THAT Bill?" asked Everett Wood
man.
Yes" said Julie. That's Bill"
"GoIdarn! He's quite a critter in
that thing! He goin' to light in the
north forty?"
1T wouldn't surprise me-"
Dill leveled off over the north forty
and barely touched the wheels. He
made a climbing turn and headed for
Bar Harbor. Maybe he doesn't like
the feet Of the ship, Julie thought -
wishful thinking. He drove over to
Bar Harbor to try it out" she said.
Heard he was interested in the
darn thing" Everett turned toward
his fiivver Hell be late for milkin.
Miz Blaine. You want | should give
you hand?"
mo. thank you. He'll be back in
time"
"Wal. you lemme know if he don't
show up"
The air was clear and cold when
Julie went out to the barn. 1t was
dark, and she tried to turn on the tie
up light. But the switch wouldn't
work - the one she had asked Bill to
fix. She returned to the shed for a
kerosene lantern. She had MIXED
Sukie and Bessie and was moving to
White-face when it happened. The
lantern slipped from her wet hand,
smashed on the floor. A little river of
fire danced along the chaff-covered
floor. She stamped on it quickly.
SHE thought she had put it out.
Then she saw light through the cracks.
Burning kerosene had seeped between
the planking. She poured milk along
the cracks, but it did not help. Smoke
oozed upward, thicker and thicker.
There was no way she could attack the
flame. Her throat was singing. and
within her was the ache Of uncon-
trollable fear. "Billr' she cried. "Oh,
oh - Blu" She fled to the rear door
and flung it open.
The cattle beloved nervously. She
unhtched the COW nearest the door
and headed her out. She went on up
the line freeing each animal - all
eight of them. Flames were leaping in
now, reaching for the hanging cob
webs. She fed to the house.
She had little faith in the village fire
engine, with its volunteer brigade, but
twisted the crank on the wall tele-
phone and gave the alarm. She seized
two kettles and went back. unaware
of the operators efforts to call every
ko o1yo~, fop rNaYfV line