Show r r q oF WON Wo F 1 I THE g av T. T s. s B I I 1 UtI by 1 LUh Authors Great Gnat forest had bad been numerous numer r. ous us us that spring in the toe mountainous districts of northern Arizona There had been tY two dry years in success succession on leaving the c country a. a veritable q tinder tl box x Add Added d to to this were the heavy and persistent pring winds spring that would fan a small spark into a a. raging hell in is ina isa a few hours The gOT government officers and line line- riders were kept on a a constant mineto move mine to save uv the country country- from conflagration ra t tion on Th The country was sparsely set set- Here lIere and there miles apart ap where a small p. p por or spring furnisher furnished them water waier a settler lettler would s sometimes b be found jound deep in inthe the the woods A rougher rough rough- er and more rocky country never lay liy outdoors split split split-it it up in all directions di- di mesas were covered with pi pine e timber and nd on the ro rocky ky seamy tides sides bf of the hills were were thick cedars and making ng a tangled jungle jungla that even th the old pioneers would would- o oc oo occasionally get lust lost in It was late lat in the spring when the biggest fire of a decade broke out 0 and at a time when the wind was blowing a 1 a- a terrific terrific gale It marked is as as high hi h as asCO as asto CO to miles an an hour falling at sunset seemingly to r rest st for forth the coming pay day ay when It would break out again with h renewed f rc l A small ca camp left u unattended d the sea of flame fiame on its journey J of destruction A heavy wind l was vas was behin behind behind be be- hin hind it it driving i it due due north towa d the highest p peaks aks of the mountains The government rider in chargE of o othe of i. i the district it fought Jt for two days day s with what help b he could get eJ from I th the he- he ranchers but ort tl the third day y it broker broke r sway away ny from himlie l Hc e rode to the nearest t telegraph s aio station o and and d wired wind his su superior au- au u- u th perlor officer r for for tor help Help which cI h was 20 miles a away way and soon soona a a force o of 20 o men n was a aon on it its way n as as- fast as a s horses could run run The driver r rolled Tolled and s 11 in ayed in in his sea seat t thra bracing ing no now no w and then against his hiX mate seat ta t-m t te lashe as las the he fo horse four horse r-horse team te swung around th the e sharp curves and alIl and o oser r the tIll rough road Smoke cov covered red the whole country trY y for miles arou around 1 allej valley were filled with ith it and great black clouds hung over and hid ii l th the mountain aill peaks A As jA Asfar s far far far-as a as the eye eJe could r wrench rench there wa waa was wasa s' s a a 1 IEa leaping pin t ii is twisting tin go roaring roaring sea sea oe of flame As It Uhe be night bight wore wore on the 1 smoke settled more closely to th the e ground roun 1 and shut out out the moonlight adding in g more to th the awful l h beauty o othe of f the wild 1 scene giant tr trees blazing g from root to the topmost l branches rl s ga ga e ii out out their spectral si shimmering n r light tight which seem seemed d t to gain in in size size until un un- until til tl they appeared many ninny times their actual actual ac ac- size sire and height I Above the tIle din and roar came caine th the e occasional cl boom of of a dista distant t tree tree tree-as as i it t trashed crashed 1 down into the canyon canyon below low upon the rocks rock tip steep mountain nl i sides dei the flames i rolled oiled ani and crackled ri darting h here r and there licking un tip up T sv y- y in its reach the wind w whirled it here and there boiling hoBing smoke rolled rolls d close cloa to the grou ground d covering the me men n and choking them until they tilly were were nearly strangled now now and nd then the they y wm would stumbling out of the blo Mack c k smoke and lIt gg r away to get the their r r breath Then after n n few gasps o of ot f fresh freih h ni air got by l ing 1 close dose to to th the ie e ground ro back hack they would o go again black and begrimed ed bea beating ng the fir fire e lout out here chopping hop mg and cutting away Iway logs fighting like fighting like ike fiends to stop atop the stop the spread i fi f s i i Along toward morning Charlie Charlie Lew LewIs Lew- Lew Is on one of the regular range 6 i nithe of ni ft the district came up up to the in in charge of the e reserve with an an anxious lo ls look Jook on his hilt hE begrimed and ami sweaty eity face fl Captain if T I aint l there a I 7 t 4 Ah T S f. f fr a J t Y t r f I fp r i 4 I a ranch oTer over thero there in that Chat dra draw shout about a mile to the left I hadn't thoi thought ht g-ht of f f it before but old man man Iilliams lives there Tie lie moved mond back there ab about ut a month ago ago with h his hil laughter daughter u I I think something be done t to see aee ec if he aint got rent out l t before run runs runs' him 0 the fire runs on onto to Good God man Dlan no one could get through this living hell for a mile and come Unless he be added added added add add- ed half to himself unless the there happened to be n a a break break in the fir fife v line Jine somewhere that split it around a canyon Well Ill I'll tell you cap reap if youl you'll jest let e me try I I. may be able to do something fer fer em I aint worth wortha a adam dam iam and nd it wont won't hurt much if I dont don't dont don't- make it l' l I know most of the country like a faro layout so does my brone bronc If I don dont don't t get through cap why cap why it'll be the right kind of a a start tart fer fee m me me in the next next world ov he said with a 8 little little lit lit- tle deprecating ting laugh The cap as he c called d him hm grasped him by 9 the hand mumbled something under ender his breath that so sounded like liked d d d fool wiped l ped something out of or kin Ida eyes and said Well go ahead if it you ou are ore bound io In a short time l had bad secured secured se se- e cured his little sure foot d beast and so soaking king his bis clothes with what water could be spared from tho the drinking water in in the canteens he was re ready ay for tho the journey As s he spurred his horse down into the fire tiro the men gave him lim a cheer He- He waved Ms Ilia big hat lint at them an and anal I was gone amidst the smoke and and falling faIling logs Trees and undergrowth h were not thick and there were patches patch s left leU here and there unburned Ting owing to the ledges of rl rock and huge uge piles of He Ile dug duR his bin sPurs spurs into the the little HUll beast n anti and down th they y wen went into gt gj I lies up o oter er steep rocks with Charlie laying close to hi his hill horses rsc's Week neek stumbling all but bu f falling at d times in the treacherous lights and shadows of th th blazing wood O Oa Ones a great pine came ame crashing down down a afew few feet in front of his horse norg an and both were covered with burning sp sparks spark irks With a n scream am of pain the tho little horSe hore gathered himself up again and passed assed in in hi his hi's s safety fety ny strange strang goo good luck or or-by or by instinct of Cf th the horse he lie struck hucl a a air ir trail frail il that led Jell him biro int into a I road rood to toO the the old mans man's cabin in the tho th draw Here he lie dug his spurs vicious viciously vicious vicious- ly y into the the- horses horse's sides and forced hint him to t the e top of his hi speed Straight to the cabin h he went where he half fell from fell from his horse burst in the door yelling jelling as he did so 80 to to arouse arous se the e sleeping occupants occupants Vi Williams and his daughter had gone one to bed bcd thinking th themselves safe from the 1 fire c o owing Diving to the wined wind driving driving driving ing ing it ft t to the north and cast east awa away from frum their cir home nome Half a asleep lee Williams Wil WH liams nr aroused his aroused his daughter and ancI while she hastily th dressed eased he lie broke into the corral and arid oS secured horses It 11 t. t was vas but the work worl of a a a. moment before they were on on the r return turn trip Ch Charlie Chirac leading the horse with the girl girt fol- fol lowed T d by y tJ the e old ulan nian man own the road they went as us fast as AI ho the horses les would carry them through the smoke slI olce Charlie had thou thoughtfully wrapped Alie the thc girl girlin in in- ina a blaul blanket t before the start The Homes flames s swept pt s so sd close to the thai ground ground that it t Was t s impossible to follow fol fol- 1 low v the theron road rodd Williams wasl was 46 lost st t front from the I. two nh ahead nt a sh short rt time bier after leav leaving ng the cabin Lewis turned and yelled l. l rat Jut his his' voice oice ice vas Seas drow drowned ed inthe in inthe the ben To To hesitate meant nt death The behind s 's stumbled and fell I In a a. moment i was d down vp b beside ido and l raised ft half un un- e D c u s s' s onto the saddle with h hint him and continued his ride f liI i y on oil ji Site site pa page page e |