A RESULT OF A FIRE
At the corner Jack met Deb, whose anxiety had caused her to follow him
close to the Gray mansion.
"My! how long you've been!" she exclaimed, and then with a keen glance
into his face: "Did he---- Did he----"
"He said he couldn't do a thing, that it was all in the agent's hands,"
burst out Jack, "He is meaner than mean. He will let that man put us
out even when he owes us more than the amount of the rent. Well, it may
be law, but it isn't justice and he shall not do it!"
And the young machinist shut his teeth in grim determination.
"If you can't get the money from the bank, I suppose you can't go into
business for yourself," said Deb, when they reached home.
"That's true enough. Before the shut-down I might have borrowed money,
but now I guess all our friends need every cent they have."
"Can't we raise some?" Deb's eyes wandered around the apartment. Jack
gave a dry little laugh.
"Not on this stuff," he replied. "But we're not reduced to that yet."
He walked over to where the model he was working on stood. "Wish this
was finished. I believe I can make a neat sum out of this invention."
"How long will it take to complete it?"
"Can't tell. It depends on one's ideas. But I'm going out."
"Where?"
"To look for work."
In a moment Jack had descended to the sidewalk. He found the streets
swarming with people, and as he had before thought, with a thousand men
idle, what chance was there of getting work? Finding that every place
in Corney was full he determined to try Redrock, another manufacturing
town, situated on the Camel Falls river, several miles below the present
place. The road between the two places followed the river bank. As Jack
trudged along close to the water, he heard a sudden cry for help.
Looking ahead he saw that one of the rear wheels of a wagon had come
off, and the driver, horses and vehicle were all in danger of being
dumped into the stream. It was but a moment's work for the young
machinist to rush up, and by catching the horses' heads, to turn them in
such a way that the turnout righted itself in the center of the road.
"Thank you, young man!" exclaimed the aged farmer, who was driving, as
he sprang to the ground. "That was a narrow escape, and no mistake."
"Your wagon is pretty well damaged," observed Jack as he examined the
shattered axle.
"Well, troubles never come singly." replied Farmer Farrell, for such
was his name. "This morning something got into the patent rake so it
wouldn't work; then the grindstone got cranky, and now this. But thanks
to Providence, I'm safe. I reckon I'll have to go back for the other
rig, though. Going my way?"
"Yes, sir. I'm bound for Redrock to look for work."
As the two walked along, Jack related what had happened in Corney.
"Well, I declare! I'm lucky any way," declared Farmer Farrell, "I got
my money out of the bank a month ago. It's too bad, though, for you.
What did you say you were?"
"I'm a machinist," replied Jack, and then suddenly: "Perhaps I can fix
up your patent rake and your grindstone. I'll do a good job and won't
overcharge you."
To this Farmer Farrell, who was taken by Jack's appearance, agreed, and
a few minutes later led the way up a lane to a well-stocked farm.
Down in the barn the young machinist found the things that needed
repairing. He looked everything over carefully.
"I'll bring my tools to-morrow and fix them up," he said. "If I get
work in Redrock I'll do the work early in the morning or after I quit."
"And the cost?"
"About five or six dollars."
"Cheap enough. Go ahead."
"I will. I'll be on hand early in the morning and do a good job,"
replied Jack.
The young machinist met with no success at Redrock, and returned in an
hour to Corney. Deb was pleased to hear that some work, at least, had
been procured.
"It will pay the rent anyway," said Jack, "and that's something.
Perhaps, too, it may get me some more jobs like it."
"That's so," replied Deb, her face brightening.
In the evening Jack worked on his model. But he went to bed at ten
o'clock, so as to be up early the next morning.
"Jack! Jack! Wake up!"
It was Deb's voice from the next room that aroused him in the middle of
the night.
"There is a big fire over on the hill," she continued, "just look out of
the window."
But Jack was already up.
"You're right!" he replied. "It's a whopper, too!" he continued, as the
flames shot skyward, making all as bright as day. "I'll have to go," he
added.
"Must you?"
"Certainly, it's my duty to serve."
For Jack was a duly enlisted member of the Corney Volunteer Fire
Department.
He hurried into his clothing as rapidly as possible, and jumped down the
stairs three at a time.
"Don't get hurt!" called Deb after him.
The engine house was but a few blocks away. When Jack arrived there, he
found that the machine had been dragged out into the street but no
further.
"Why don't you catch hold?" he called to a crowd of men who stood on the
sidewalk.
"It's old Gray's house!" exclaimed one man, "and it can burn to the
ground for all I care."
"He don't help us; now let him help himself," put in another.
"Oh, pshaw! It won't do any good to act that way!" said Jack. "Come,
catch hold like men."
Jack was naturally a leader, and when he grasped the rope three other
young fellows followed, and in a moment the engine was on its way.
"It's too bad it's Mr. Gray's house," thought the machinist. "It will
make him harder-hearted than ever."
He gave no thought as to how the conflagration had originated, and did
his best to get the engine to the spot.
But, as has been stated, the place was up hill, and by the time they had
made their way along the unpaved road, the fire had gained such headway
that it was useless to pour water on the burning building, and all
attention was directed to saving the adjoining property.
The heat was intense, and Jack, who was often at the nozzle of the hose,
suffered greatly from this and the smoke.
In an hour the fire was declared under control, and a little later the
order came to take up the hose and go home.
Jack worked with a will. He had done his duty, and now he was anxious
to return, tell Deb all about it, and get to bed again.
While helping to wind the hose upon its carriage, he was suddenly
approached by Mr. Gray, accompanied by a stranger.
"There he is!" were Mr. Gray's first words, addressed to the stranger.
The man laid his hand upon Jack's shoulder.
"I want you," he said, quietly.
"What for?" asked Jack.
"I arrest you for setting fire to Mr. Gray's house," was the startling
reply.
"Arrest me!" exclaimed the young machinist. "What do you mean? I never
set fire to any one's house."
"Oh, yes, you did," put in the manufacturer. "Only you didn't expect to
be caught."
"It's false, I----"
"It's true. You shall suffer heavily for this night's work," went on
Mr. Gray, bitterly. "We'll see if the law allows tenants who won't pay
their rents to set their landlords' houses on fire! Watch him Parker,
don't let him escape you!"
"Mr. Gray, I never----" began Jack.
"Come along," broke in the officer, roughly. "You can do your talking in
the morning."
And without further words Jack was marched off to the Corney jail.