IN THE RING OF DEATH
At first Randall did not recognise the young man who had so suddenly
appeared before him. He stared as if he beheld a vision, and his lips
moved, although he uttered no sound. His face was drawn and haggard,
his eyes wild and blood-shot. He was a far different man from the
bustling and imperious lumber merchant of the morning.
"What's wrong?" John asked. "Can I help you?"
"What's wrong?" the man repeated. "Everything's wrong. My daughter's
gone to the devil, my foot's sprained, and the fire is almost upon me."
"Well, let me help you, then," John replied. "Come, get up, and lean
on me. We must get to the lake at once."
Randall made a feeble effort to obey, but sank back upon the ground
with a cry.
"I can't walk a step," he groaned. "Leave me here and save yourself.
There's no time to lose. O Lord, this is awful!"
"No, I won't leave you here," John declared. "Try to bear the pain for
a while. It will be better than to be burned alive. Hurry up. We
must get to the lake to save your daughter. She's on the island, and
the fire will be there in a short time."
"How do you know my daughter's on the island?" Randall asked. Then the
expression upon his face suddenly changed, and a new energy possessed
him. He struggled to his knees and faced the young man. "Are you John
Hampton?" he demanded. "Are you the man who lured my daughter away
from home?"
"I am John Hampton," was the quiet reply. "But I didn't lure your
daughter away from home. She left of her own free will."
"You lie," Randall shouted. "You cursed villain, I'll make you pay for
your deviltry. You brought all this trouble upon me, and I'll,
I'll----"
"There, now, don't get so excited, sir," John warned. "You need all
your strength, so if you don't make an effort to save yourself, you
won't have a chance to do anything to me."
"Get out of my sight," Randall shouted. "I won't be saved by a thing
like you. I'd rather die first."
To try to reason with this angry and half distracted man John realised
would be useless. And besides, there was not time. The roar of the
fire was becoming louder, and the flames were about to burst through
the forest.
Already to their left and right vast columns of smoke were pouring
above the tree tops, and fiery tongues were licking among the bushes
along the borders of the plains. The situation was desperate. He
looked, and his eyes rested upon a pile of large boulders several yards
away. These were heaped upon a great flat portion of rock, whose
surface was devoid of the least vestige of vegetation. To get the
injured man there was his only hope. But when he offered the
suggestion, Randall refused it with scorn.
"That place is worse than this," he declared. "Here it will be over in
a few minutes, but there I shall slowly roast to death."
"No, you won't," John replied, at the same time laying his hand upon
Randall's shoulder. "Come, trust me."
"Leave me alone," was the angry retort. "I'd sooner trust a snake than
you. Get out of my sight."
John now knew that he had to take stern measures and act at once, for
there was not a minute to lose. Stooping, he caught the helpless man
in a firm grip, lifted him from the ground, and staggered through the
bushes. Randall was an unwieldy weight, and he struggled and cursed
like a madman. At times John thought he would be forced to drop his
burden and give up the attempt. But the menacing danger nerved him to
almost super-human effort, and at last he stumbled with his load upon
the rocky surface. Dragging Randall to the centre of the stone, he
left him sprawling there, and sprang at once to the nearest clump of
bushes. Drawing forth a match from his vest pocket, he struck it and
touched it to a dry bit of fine grass. A small flame immediately shot
up, which soon spread, and raced out among the bushes. The same was
done in several other places, and in a few minutes the two men were in
the centre of a ring of fire, which enlarged and increased in fury as
the flames seized upon the dry material on all sides. The heat now was
intense, and the smoke was blinding and suffocating.
During the whole of this performance Randall was yelling frantically to
Hampton, asking what he meant by bringing the fire nearer. John,
however, made no reply until his work was done. Then he staggered to
the excited man's side, and without a word lifted him again in his
arms, carried him to the pile of boulders, and laid him down between
two big rocks nearest to the lake. Taking off his own coat, he spread
it over Randall's head, and part of his body, commanding him at the
same time to keep still, and stop struggling. This warning was given
none too soon for the next instant a terrific roar rent the air, as the
fire burst from the forest and flung itself upon the plains. Nothing
could John now see, for the smoke was thicker than ever. The heat,
too, was becoming more intense, and for relief he dropped upon his
knees and covered his head with a portion of the coat which he had
placed over Randall. This was only a brief respite, however, for
burning brands were now falling everywhere, and one lighted almost on
top of them. Then others followed in quick succession, so he was
forced to stand on guard above the injured man. Desperately he fought
the shower of flaming death, hurling aside each ember ere it could
alight upon Randall's body. The heat now was almost unbearable. His
hands and face were scorched, and his hair singed. How much longer
could he fight the demon? he wondered. Would its hot breath lessen, or
would it increase and devour him? The roar of the fire was appalling.
On all sides it was raging and so dense was the smoke, and so overcome
was he with his strenuous exertions, that he felt his strength rapidly
weakening. Again and again, he nerved himself to the contest, and
flung aside the falling embers with the desperation of despair. At
last, after an almost superhuman effort, he flung out his hand to ward
off another burning missive, when all power deserted him, and with a
cry he fell forward full upon a large bolder.
He was aroused by a drop of moisture upon his cheek. Then another, and
still another, and he knew that the blessed rain had come to his
relief. Oh, how good it was to lie there, and feel the refreshing
shower upon his hot face and hands. He knew, too, that the rain would
quench the fire for a time, at least, and make it possible for him to
escape. He must reach the island to find out about his mother and
Jess, and how they had fared. The rain by now had developed into a
regular downpour, and the raging fire had been quenched as if by magic.
The dense volumes of smoke no longer rolled over the land, and as John
looked out upon the blackened plains a scene of desolation met his
eyes. The forest on every side was in ruins, even to the lake, a
glimpse of which he could see through the stark flame-swept trees. But
how far beyond had the fire extended? That was the question which
filled him with anxiety. Had it reached the island, which here was but
a few yards from the mainland, or had it been checked by the lake and
the rain? This he must find out, and at once.
With difficulty he rose to his feet, for he was bruised and sore, and
stepped over to where Randall was lying. Pulling away the coat, he
laid his hand upon the man's shoulder, shook him, and told him to get
up, as the danger was over. A peculiar muttering sound was the only
response, and as John dragged back the prostrate body from between the
boulders and looked upon the man's face, he was astonished to see the
strange vacant expression in his eyes. Then his lips began to move,
and he stared fearfully around.
"Don't let it get me!" he cried. "For God's sake, keep it away! Look,
look, it's coming!"
"Come, come, sir, you're all right," Hampton soothed, certain now that
the man's mind was somewhat unbalanced by the fearful ordeal through
which he had recently passed. "It is raining hard now; don't you feel
it? The fire is all out, so you have nothing more to fear."
But Randall clutched him frantically by the arm, and pointed across the
plains. "See, see; there it is!" he cried. "It's coming this way! It
will burn me alive! Ob, save me! Save me!"
John now realised the helplessness of the situation. It was necessary
for him to hurry to the island, and yet he could not leave this
demented man alone on the plains. The more he talked and reasoned, the
more violent Randall became, begging most piteously to be saved. It
seemed strange to John that this helpless being lying there could ever
have been the Harry Randall of whom he had beard so much, and who but a
short time before had cursed him so bitterly. Of what avail now were
his power, wealth and wrath?
As John stood and wondered what to do, feeling keenly his own
impotence, a shout to the right startled him, causing him to turn
quickly in that direction. And as he did so, he saw several men
hurrying toward him. As they drew nearer, be recognised them as
neighbours, men he had known all his life.
"For heaven's sake!" the first man exclaimed, as he reached the spot.
He ceased, and his eyes grew big with astonishment as he glanced down
upon Randall. "Is that him?" he asked.
"You know him, then?" John queried.
"Hen. Randall, ain't it?"
"Yes, all that's left of him. But how did you know he was here, Jim?"
"Oh, a feller came for us in a car. Said his boss was out here
somewhere, and he was afraid the fire had overtaken him. Guess Randall
must have got lost. But we couldn't do anything when we did come. If
it hadn't been for that rain the fire would have done terrible damage."
"It's done a great deal already," and John motioned to Randall, who had
ceased his pleadings, and was lying still upon the ground. "He's had a
hard time of it. His ankle's sprained or broken, I don't know which,
and he's crazy."
The four men of the relief party looked curiously upon Randall, who
presented a wretched appearance with his blackened face and rain-soaked
clothes.
"D'ye think he'll get over this?" Jim Shaw asked, turning to John.
"Not if he stays here," was the emphatic reply. "You men must take him
out of this at once. I've got to go to the island. Mother's there."
"Your mother's on the island!" Jim fairly shouted the words. "Why, no
one could live on the island before that fire. Good Lord, man! She
must be burned alive!"
For a few seconds the five men stood and stared at one another. The
horror of the situation silenced their tongues. John was the first to
speak.
"You look after Randall," he ordered. "I must get to the island and
find out the worst. Perhaps the rain checked the fire in time."
He then turned and hurried across the blackened waste. He tried to
keep calm, but his heart beat fast, and a great dread possessed him.
What if his mother and Jess were both dead! The thought was appalling.
It drove him forward like a hound. He leaped over sticks and stones in
his headlong speed, dashed through the burned trees, and sprang out
upon the shore of the lake. Here he stopped, and as his eyes rested
upon the island a cry of despair burst from his lips. The fire had
reached the place and swept it from end to end! But what of his mother
and Jess! Were they alive? or were their charred bodies now lying
exposed to the pelting rain? He called again and again at the top of
his voice, but received no reply. The silence was ominous, for from
where he was standing anyone, even in the middle of the small island,
should be able to hear.
The one thing now for him to do was to cross that narrow strip of water
and find out just what had happened. The only way to get there was to
swim, for his boat which he had left that morning at the upper end of
the lake could not have escaped the devouring flames. He could see
that the fire had passed over the very place, close to the water's edge.
Tearing off his shoes and vest, in another minute he was into the lake,
and headed for the island. He was a good swimmer and under ordinary
circumstances the swim would have been mere child's play. But he was
weak after his fearful exertions, and his clothes impeded his progress.
But still he struggled forward, and at length, wearied almost to the
point of exhaustion, his feet touched bottom, and he staggered heavily
out of the water, and fell upon the shore. Again he called, but
received no reply.
After a few minutes' rest, he regained his feet and groped his way
along the shore until he reached the spot where he had landed the women
the night before. Fearfully he turned his eyes up the path leading to
the house, and as he looked, his heart sank within him. Nothing
remained of the building but a few black sticks, from which small
wreaths of smoke were issuing. He walked slowly up the path like one
in a dream, and stopped before the ruins. But no charred bodies did he
find.
And as he looked, a new hope seized him. The women must have fled to
the water for protection. Perhaps, even now, they were somewhere on
the shore, most likely at the farther end of the island.
Encouraged by this thought, he hurried back to the landing, and made
his way down along the shore. He kept a sharp outlook, but no sign of
life met his view. As he advanced, nothing rewarded his efforts, and
despair once more seized him. The women could not have escaped from
the island without assistance, he was certain. And it was hardly
likely that any rescuer would be on hand in the time of need. Perhaps
they had rushed into the water, and driven by the fury of the flames
had gone beyond their depth. All this came into his mind as he turned
the lower end of the island and viewed the shore to his right. He
stopped and cast his eyes toward the mainland, but everywhere was the
same scene of black desolation. It was wonderful how fast and far the
fire had travelled before being checked by the rain.
Continuing his walk, he moved slowly along the shore until he came
abreast the spot where the cabin had stood, and on the opposite side of
the island from the landing. There was no need for him to go any
farther. The women were nowhere in the vicinity, he was sure. They
must have been drowned!
But perhaps they had been overtaken by the fire in their rush to the
water, and their charred bodies even now might be lying among the
trees. It was a fearful thought, which paled his burnt cheeks, and
caused him to tremble violently. Should he search for them? he asked
himself.
"I can't do it!" he groaned. "Oh, God! this is terrible!"
He buried his face in his hands, and sank down upon the ground, his
soul writhing with the agony of an overwhelming despair.