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Farmers and horticulturists well know that it is in the nature of a heap of couch-grass, when kindled in calm weather, to smoulder for many days, and even weeks, until the wholethe while scarcely a sign of combustion beyond the volcano-like smoke from its suhout its length at the mercy of one particular whim of Nature: that is, a sudden breeze, by which the heap is liable to be fanned into a flame so brisk as to consume the whole in an hour or two

Had the farmer narroatched the pile when he went to close the door, he would have seen, besides the fa of the air around thethat a considerable heat had arisen inside

As the railway-porter turned the corner of the row of houses adjoining the Three Tranters, a brisk neind greeted his face, and spread past hih-road till he caate, about three hundred yards froate could be discerned the situation of the building he had just quitted He carelessly turned his head in passing, and saw behind hi the position of the couch-heap: a gloithout a flahtness as the breeze quickened or fell, like the coal of a newly lighted cigar If those cottages had been his, he thought, he should not care to have a fire so near the his, he went on his way to the station, where he was about to resuht The road was now quite deserted: till four o'clock the next o by to the stables there was little probability of any hu the Three Tranters Inn

By eleven, everybody in the house was asleep It truly seerand opportunity for devastation

At a quarter past eleven a slight stealthy crackle ht wind; the heap glowed brighter still, and burst into a flame; the flarew to be first continuous and weak, then continuous and strong

At twenty nited fern several yards forward, in a direction parallel to the houses and inn, and there deposited it on the ground