Page 54 (1/2)

On the western horizon a low dark bank of clouds lay foropposite to the course of the wind that had

driven the fire Along it htning, broken with ripping zigzag flahtened breeze of evening had fled

Now and then, at first doubtful, then unmistakable and continuous, cath the steady roll of thunder

They lay full in the course of one of the treh

country, and as the cloud bank rose and caalmost as much as that of the fire, for, unprotected, as they

were, they could rew supercharged with electricity It dripped, literally, from

the barrel of Banion's pistol when he took it froon He fastened the reins of his horse to a wheel and

hastened with other work A pair of trail ropes lay in the wagon He

netted theon top and lashed the ends to the wheels tostorust of wind The sky blackened The storon train first There was no interval at all between the

rip of the lightning and the crash of thunder as it rolled down on the

clustered wagons The electricity at tied bolt, but in a ball of fire, lon, close to the ground,

exploding with giant detonations