“’Cause somebody’s got to go for that gal of mine—and little Car’lyn May. Ain’t you heard—or is your mind so sot on makin’ money down there to your store that you don’t know nothin’ else?”
“Haven’t I heard what?” returned the other with fine restraint, for he saw the old man was in pain.
“The fire’s come over to this side. I saw the flames myself. And Aaron Crummit drove through and says that you can’t git by on the main road. The fire’s followed the West Brook right down and is betwixt us and Adams’ old camp.”
“Bless me!” gasped the hardware dealer, paling under his tan.
“Wal?” snarled Parlow. “Goin’ to stand there chatterin’ all day, or be you goin’ to do something?”
CHAPTER XXV—THE FOREST FIRE
“Somebody must get over to that cabin and bring them out,” Joseph Stagg said, without taking offence at the crabbed old carpenter.
“Wal!” exclaimed Parlow, “glad ter see you’re awake.”
“Oh, I’m awake,” the other returned shortly. “I was just figuring on who’s got the best horse.”
“I have,” snapped Parlow.