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14
H .A; P“:P=.Y
I
-D‘-A YB
Iling along over the otherwise dry bed of
ithe Twin Cubs,,and he noted that near
the edges of the stream there grew long,
slimy-looking grasses that hung down half-
way in the water. , T - . V
“Lively, boys," he shouted,’ “and dig
and strew a line of it in the path of the
‘ fire. Work fast, and carry your shovel
loads on the run.’
: With Casey at his side be rushed down
into
deeply into it, bringing up a dripping shov-
elful of wet mud and clinging long grass.
and then he dashed out of the bed and
rushed away towards the fire that was
creeping and Jeaplng towards his trees.
Ile selected a rocky interval where the
hre would naturally have but little to feed
upon, and there dumped down his big
‘ shovelful. and instantly the men who had
followed his lead threw down theirs. ,
n a few minutes a line of wet earth he-
gan tocrecp acrvss the path of the tire,
and Ben continued the work until he-saw
' the embankment of mud and grass rise ,to
the height of three feet, the men rushing
their loads with a. will, each man anxious
to outdo his fellow. , ' - .
Far away on the right Ben could hear
-the ring of axes and the blows of mat-
tocks, and knew that Frank Norris was do-
ing good work on his part. -
“ ow. about cutting down that scrub
growth, Ben, and rushing the branches
through the water and then placingit as
close to the fire as we can?",asl:ed Phil
. Casey. V ‘
Ben looked at the small trees indicated.
“ es, slash and dip them,” he .ordered,
glad of the" suggestion from the well ex-
perienced woodman, and a moment later
the men were cutting right and left at the,
small growth, and as fast as they fell they
were‘ hauled. into the tiny stream and
dragged through it, and then rushed away
to be placed in the path of the fire by the
hustling loggers, who were working like
furics to put a stop to'the threatening
Still, do what they would, there were
places, where the Ere seemed to sneak its
way unobserved, and with the least thing
in the world to feed upon it would again
make its way towards the standing timber.
Moreover, little shifts of the wind would
cause it to veer just enough to make a
new pathway, and then the men would
rush to meet it with whatever means Ben
directed. ' .
r-One of these shifts of the wind started
the fire in a. cluster,of small t
they began to burn fiercely, throwing up
sparks and shedding flaming branches and
.twigs that were carried towards the big
trees.
‘That’: dangerous, Ben," quickly said
Phil Casey, when he noted thls,'!‘and I
think the sooner you blow up this cluster
of small stuff the better." -
“All right,” said Ben, and then Phil ran
to one of the men who carried the dyna-
mite and got a couple of sticks.
. “I how to handle the stuff. so you
had better let me do it," be said to Ben.
“With this small growth out of the way
we'll have a chance of killing off this fire
in shortorder." - .
Ben let him handle the explosive on ac-
count of his familiarity with it, and cast
his eyes towards the east, the quarter from
which all the trouble came, and felt sure
that he saw small threads of smoke twin-
ing up through the scrubby trees that grew
rather profusely about a quarter of a mile
away
it might only be the smoke ascending
‘ from half consumed embers that had fallen
there since the fire started, and in that
event Ben did not want to call his, men
away from the active and enectlve work
they were doing now. so, as the distance
was short, he made up his mind to investi-
gate the mattcr in person.
“Look out for things here for a few min;
utes, Phil," he said, and dashed away to-
wards the place that had aroused his in-
terest. ‘
He was used to traveling in spiked show
now, and could make fast time over the
ground.
It was a thick cluster of trees, a short
and broad spreading growth that stood on
rather anlelevated part of the land, and
had beenwell dried up by the hot rays of
the sun in summer.
Ben could not see into the growth, but
long before he reached it he caught an odor
that made him come to a stop.
lie sniffed again and again at it.
“Kerosense oil!" he cried., .
Yes, there was no mistaking the familiar
odor or keroseue,, and for a. moment Ben
did not know what to make of it.
Then it flashed over his mind that the
oil had been used to start a. fire in the
short and broad dry growth.
-There was :1 chance that whoever was in
the dirty-business might still be at it, and
bending low, so as to afford as little view
-of his body as possible, Ben ran lightly for-
-ward until he reached the edge of the clus-
The odor of kerosene came still more
awayall of this wet stuff that you can,‘
the bed of the stream, and-‘dug down‘
more cautious as he heard voices ,within
the scrubby patch. ' ‘ . ’ -
"Yes,‘run it around to the right.‘ .
“But the wind is almost due ea.st."‘ . ‘
“That's all right, but the dryest stuff is
over yonder to the right, and it's regular
Chinese.punk stuff. When it gets blazing
you'll see it fly up in the air and,sail away,
and there'll be enough of it drop down on
the standing growth to set it on fire in
twenty did'ercnt places.”
“All right, I 1 rush over there.”
Ben parted the bushes that. obstructed
his view, and saw two rough and villain-
ous-looking men standing not more than
twenty feet away. , -
One of them held a section of lead pipe
that was probably ten feet long’ and two
inches thick, and from this a tiny stream
of kerosene oil was dripping. ,
At a glance Ben Bates understood‘ that
such an outfit would enable a man who
held it to drip oil over a considerable space
ground, and that the match once set to
it, it would be dimcult to control.
“Now don't be in such a hurry to touch
it off this time,” said the man who held the
pipe. “You were so anxious to see it blaze
before when I only spread it a little bit,
that if I hadn't been quick with my feet
we would have to run for our lives. Wait
‘till I get the stuff spread out well, and
then let us get on the right side of the
‘blaze before she flares up. I don't want
to get searched for nothing; so look. out.”
“Oh, all right.” growled his companion,
and the man with the torch, as it might
well be termed, started oiI, but he had not
taken three steps before Big Ben Bates
leaped through the tangled growth that oh-
structed him, and jumped upon him like a
ger. .
As his visit had been intended to be one
of inspection merely, Ben had left his mat-
tock and spade behind,-and had nothing
in the way of a weapon with him, or any
tool that might be converted into one; but
he saw one in the hands of the man that‘
was ready to sprinkle kerosene oil over
material that was like dry touchwood, and
that was enough for Ben. ' V, .
“Look out!" shouted the other man to
the one who held the pipe, for he had been
the first to see our‘ hero's rush. and the
other turned swiftly at the word of warn-
g. . g ,. .
But Ben's movementwas swifter. ‘
With a sure clutch he caught hold of the
Dlpe, tore it from the man hand with a
single effort, let it slip down through his
fingers until his hands‘ held it not more
than a foot from the end. and then he
girlpped it hard and swung it up ln'lhe
r.
5
“Hold on! " gasped the wretch, when he
saw the heavy pipe go.up into the air and
caught sight of the infuriated face of the
angry boy who held it.
But Ben Bates was in too much of a
temper to stay his hand. Down came the
free end of the pipe, the kerosene oil
streaming through it and sprinkling over
the clothing of the>man who had been
using it, and landed fairly and squarely on
top of the rascal's head. - .
lie fell as a bullock might fall when hit
by the butcher's axe, and without a second
look at him, so sure was he that the man
was down and out. Ben raised the pipe
aloft again and leaped towards the other
man. . -
Wlth'a bitter oath the fellow pulled a
pistol from his pocket and raised,lt on a
level with Ben's body.
He evidently realized that be was in.'a
desperate situation and was prepared‘to
use desperate measures, and when he
glanced over the shining barrel of the
weapon there was murder in his eyes.
.
‘ CHAPTER XIX.
am new BATES or-:rs Uxsxrscrsn nun.
With that pistol pointing straight at his
chest, and with the murderous eyes of the
man behind it glintlng over the barrel wit
a steely glare, Ben pulled up short. -
He thought quickly and clearly, but he
could see no way tq evade the fate that
now threatened him.
He might jump in and deliver his blow.
and in his desperation Ben cam near to
doing so, with the idea of crushing in the
man's skull with one powerful tap of the
lead pipe, which would crush its way down
through flesh and bone if urged on by the
young athlete's strength, and in that way
the young lumberman felt that he would
have the satisfaction of knowingthat he
had done for his enemy, even ‘though he
lost his life the same instant. '
But the reflection also ran through his
brain that perhaps the man would not dare
to shoot, after all. The fellow must be
aware that men were working on the task
of nghting the fire not more than a quar-
er of a mile away, and the explosion of
the pistol might bring them on the run to
see what was the matter, and thatmlgbt.
put him in a perilous situation.
But the man who was covering him with
the nrearm seemed to , read his very
thoughts. '
“You're thinking that ‘perhaps I might
strongly to his nostrils, and he became
not shoot, are you?" he asked, with a sar- '
castle grin.’ ‘Well,
think coming to you
“I'm going to kill you!, .
“I'd kill you if I knew that I was to be
torn apart the‘ next minute, for I hate you!
“My name is Fred Danby: That man
yonder with the broken head is George
Danby, my brother, and the only being in
the whole world that I cared for, and if
you haven't killed him it's not Your fault.
“I'm just delaying pressing‘this trigger
in order to have the pleasure of torturing
you. I'm going to wait until I think a full
minute has passed: and then I’m going to
Ere’
"If you've got a prayer to say, say it.
blame you, for in another minute you'll be
out of this worldij '
His ‘eyelids narrowed to mere slits,
through which his eyes gleamed with a.
hateful fire, and as he concluded his speech
he placed his left hand under his right
arm in order m'sustain, the aim he had
taken. -
Ben Bates was a brave young fellow, but
he felt that he was face to fare at that
moment with death, and the worst of it
was that there seemed to be no chance of
striking a‘ last blow. a . '
Fully ten feet separated him from the
man who'was covering him with a steady
hand, and the oung lumberman realized
that before he'could negotiate that distance
and strike with the pipe, that the bullet
would meet and drop him, and so he aban-
doned the thought. ' .
He thought over his chances.
The pistol might not be loaded. That
was a slim chance, of course. for men of
sucha desperate character do not come on
such errands as a usual thing without look-
ing at their firearms. ‘
Then there was the chance that the ex-.
pression of the man's eyes might betray
the exact instant when he would press the
trigger with murderous intent, and a sud-
den twist of the body might save Ben from
a fatal wound. ‘ '
The man's eyes blazed brighter.
“Your time's up, blame you!" he gritted
through his teeth, and mentally lien said
good-by to his dear mother and the world.
' But’ the savage dos e of-the brutal lin-
cendiary to prolong t e. agony of his vic-
tim led to his undoing. ‘ - ,
4 h e was.-a sudden report, and igstinc-
tively Ben twisted his body to save him-
self from a death wound, but to his ‘sur-
prise he‘ felt ‘nothing strike him, and to
add to his surprise he heard the man in
front of him utter B. bowl of pain. saw him
drop the pistol, and then swiftly grasp the
right arm with his left.hand in a manner
0 support it.‘
Ben could scarcely believe the evidence
of his senses, and his mind was in'a maze
until he suddenly realized that it was not
the pistol that had been aimed at "his
breast that had been bred, but that another
person had directed the shot that bad prob-
ably saved his life. '
Then there came the sounds of garments
brushing against twigs, and through ‘a
cluster of bushes about fifty yards away
burst Winifred Green, a double-barreled
rifle in her hands. y 3,
She was dressed in a short skirt'that
came half-Way between her knees and the
ground.‘ and from her feet ascended the
leggings of stout serviceable boots that
were adorned with spurs. She wore a
short, thick. double-breasted coat of fur,
and a fur bat sat Jauntly on her head, and
she made as pretty a picture as she stood
there as any one might ever hope to see
in the woods of Maine.
Certain it is that Ben Bates thought he
had never seen a lovelier sight, and his
heart leaped and Jumped in his breast as
he gazed upon the maiden who had so op-
portunely come to his rescue. >
Winifred, her eyes snapping with excite-
ment, gave Ben just one glance, and then
turned her eyes upon the incendiary.
The latter was just in the act of’ bend-
ing down to pick up the fallen pistol with
his left hand.
"Drop it!’ g
There was the ring of command in the
girl's tones as she gave the order, and the
rifle came up to her shoulder with the read-
iness that comes of long practise with bre-
arms. . '
“This is a double-barreled rilie,T Fred
Danby,"'she said, “and I've only let you
have one of the bullets, and only hit your
arm at that, but if you lift that pistol from
the ground I'll send the other one through
your body." -
The man had gripped the weapon, and
there was a murderous lig eyes,
but when he heard the girl's clear com-
mand, and noted that the muzzle of the
rifle was covering his beart,‘be let go his
)1 . -.
old. -
“Now step back half a dozen feet,
Danby," was the next command, and b
that steadily held muzzle covering his body
the incendiary obeyed. V
" ow Ben," said Winifred, still cover-
ing Danby, “pick up that pistol and hold‘
it ready for use.” -
Ilen gave her one admiring glance, and
then sprang forward and secured the pis-
tol, which, he found to be a seven'cham-
you've got another"
bered revolver, fully loaded, and as he
noted this in one swift glance he realized
how slender his chance of escape would
have been had not Winifred arrived at the
very nick of time. '
Then Winifred lowered her rifle, and
took a comprehensive glance around the
place. She saw the pipe, the kerosene oil
still dripping from it; she saw the
smear of o‘ n the ground in several
places; she saw the prostrate and uncon-
scious form of the other incendiary, and
she also noted the smoldering spots where
the oil had been lgnltedand then stamped
out, and being a woods maiden she un-
derstood just‘wha.t she was looking at.
"Is that George Danby over there?” she
asked. flashing a glance at Ben.
“Yes.” '
“What's-the matter with him?”
“Oh, I hit him with this lead pipe when
he was sprinkling the ground with kero-
sene oil.“ ' c
- “Is he dead?" - '
“I don't think so, but if he is it‘only
serves him right.” - .
“I agree with you," rather spitefully said
Winifred, "but I woud rather the law
should deal with him as it will wlth'his
brother here. To kill such as he in de-
fense of your property is not of much more
consequence than killing a mad dog, but I
want to see him punished for this crime.
Is this my property or yours, Ben?"
“I ink the line for the two holdings
runs through it." -.
“I'm glad of it," said Winifred, “for I
can make a. joint complaint with )’oII..and
these two men will get what they deserve.
Look, George is ‘coming back to his
senses." ’ - .
She pointed to the fallen man, who now
stirred uneasily, put his hand up to his
blood-stained head, and then turned over
on the ground. ' ,
Fred Danby, who had received a bullet
from-the rifle through his right arm, sat
down on the stump of a tree. and looked
eagerly towards his brother.. , ‘ I - -
George Danby gave two or three deep
sighs, and then sat up on thelground and
looked around him’ ‘
-“Take a look at him, Ben,” requested
Winifred, and.our hero walked over.to the:
mrtn and inspected him closely.
The‘ heavy lead pipe had cut down
through hair, scalp and bone. and there
was"2r gash several inches long on top of
the man's head.,from which the blood was
slowly oozing: . .
“This one has a broken headland is
scarcely in condition to walk," was.the re
port.
and call some of my men, and then we can
march one prisoller away and ‘carry the
other. Keep that rascal under your rifle
until I come back, Winifred." '
-x
- ' CHAPTER XX.
mo new earns INVITES wtrurnsn T0 nrrwsn.
Leaving ‘Winifred to stzmd guard over
the two incendiarlcs. Ben walked to the
edge of the wood patch. c
He caught sight of Phil Casey standing
about. half-way between him and the gang
of workers, and evidently looking for him.
Ben made a megaphone of his hands:
“Phil!” ’ '
Casey looked up and caught sight of him.
7..
“Can you hear me
Casey nodded. . -
“Bring ball‘ a dozen of the men here.”
‘Phil nodded again, and at'once turned
back to where the gang was looking for
any traces of ore that might spring up-
Ben. kept his eyes on him until he saw him
pick out six of the brawny fellows and
start towards the scrubby growth, an
Winifred. ‘ .
George Danby had now recovered suf-
iicientiyvto know what had happened to
him, and was glaring with a hateful gaze
‘at Winifred, who was sitting on the stump
of a tree that was situated so that she
could keep a watchful eye on,the two
brothers.‘ ,
Fred Danby‘was looking at her slyly out
of the corner of one eye, and Ben could
see that the rascal, wounded as he was,
wouldhave taken advantage of one single
moment of carelessness on the part of the
girl to ake an attack on her, but Willi‘
fred knew this perfectly well,'and did not
relax her vigilance for one second.
with her picturesque forest dress, and
with her eyes flashing vigilantly from one
brother to the other as she held her riiic
ready for. instant use, ‘the woods maiden
stood for two or three minutes looking at
her before she was aware of his presence.
Then she seemed to feel rather than hear
bls'prcsenre, and looked up,quickly. .
' en she caught his gaze fixed upon her
with such undisguiscd admiration
blushed deeply; and Ben, caught unawarcs,
colored up nearly as much as the girl he
so greatly admired. ’
“Half a dozen of the men will be here
ln‘n few minutes," be said, “and we will:-'52"
,.
have these rascals taken to the camp.” r
The- stump was broad enough to afford
then he reentered the cluster and rejoined.
%.
“I'll go to the edge of the growth- -
presented such a picture that Ben Bates-
she '