ame at last through the more open timber to the brink of that
steep descent, at the bottom of which lay the smoky river-bottom.

And indeed, the whole of the lowland seemed filled with stifling clouds
of smoke. Yet, from a dozen places along the foot of the hill, yellow
flames were starting up, kindling higher, and devouring as fast as might
be the leaves and tinder left from the wrack of winter.

The nearest bonfire had been a hundred yards from the foot of this hill.
His care, Hiram knew, had left no chance of the dull coals in any of the
twenty heaps spreading to the verge of the grove.

Man's hand had done this. An enemy, waiting and watching until they had
left the field, had stolen down, gathered burning brands, and spread
them along the bottom of the hill, where the increasing wind might
scatter the fire until the whole grove was in a blaze.

Not only was Mrs. Atterson's timber in danger, but Darrell's tract
and that lying beyond would be overwhelmed by the flames if they were
allowed to spread.

On the other side, Dickerson had cut his timber a year or two before,
clear to the river. The fire would not burn far over his line. Whoever
had done this dastardly act, Dickerson's property would not be damaged.

But Hiram lent no time to trouble. His work was cut out for him right
here and now--and well he knew it!

He had brought the small axe with him, having caught it up from the
doorstep. Now he used it to cut a green bough, and then ran with the
latter down the hill and set upon the fire-line like a madman.

The smoke, spread here and there by puffs of rising wind, half choked
him. It stung his eyes until they distilled water enough to blind him.
He thrashed and fought in the fumes and the murk of it, stumbling and
slipping, one moment half-knee deep in quick-springing flames, the next
almost overpowered by the smudge that rose from the beaten mat of leaves
and rubbish.

It was a lone fight. He had to do it all. There had been no time to
rouse either the neighbors, or the rest of the family.

If he did not overcome these flames--and well he knew it--Mother
Atterson would arise in the morning to see all her goodly timber
scorched, perhaps ruined!

"I must beat it out--beat it out!" thought Hiram, and the repetition
of the words thrummed an accompaniment upon the drums of his ears as he
thrashed away with a madman's strength.

For no sane person would have tackled such a hopeless task. Before
him the f