342 NATURE STUDY REVIEW 



watches with the Forester a few moments. The phone rings 

 again and she goes to answer.) 



Hello — yes — ^isn't it too bad — poor old man. Brother Jim 

 has gone to rescue the auto party — goodbye, (calling to Forester) 

 Frank says all the south side of Big Horn Mountain is burned 

 over and the flames are nearing the top. They are back-firing 

 on the Crest Trail. Mr. Thompson's big dairy bams are gone 

 and old Mr. Shepherd has lost ever3^hing — ^house, bam and three 

 hundred stands of bees — ^all he had in the world, (she goes up 

 and gazes at the fire with the Forester.) 



FORESTER (no longer able to suppress his angry and excited emotions) 

 Oh this awful waste of natural wealth year after year ! Forests 

 going up in sm,oke, rich soil washed into the ocean by floods, 

 animals exterminated that man can never .replace. It's like 

 war — ^blind, senseless destmction. Thompson has lost his pasture. 

 Old man Shepherd has lost his bees. In one year the grass returns, 

 but it will take three more to bring the sage bloom back, and 

 seventy-five, a man's life-time to restore the timber, even if 

 there are no more fires; but the soil will never come back, (the 

 phone rings again.) 



GRACE (at phone.) 

 Yes — Grace — ^won't I do? — all right — (calling to Forester) 

 Wilber, one of the men with Jim wants to speak with you. (clasp- 

 ing her hands.) Oh I hope nothing has happened to Jim. 



FORESTER (at phone) 

 Hello — yes — all the party safe — what — Mollie Williams terribly 

 burned — (after a pause) Oh no, Bert it can't be true — (after 

 another pause) I'll be down as soon as possible, (he hangs 

 up^the receiver in a dazed manner and puts his hands over his 

 eyes.) 



GRACE 



What is it, Wilbur? Can't you tell me? Oh I was afraid 

 of it. Oh why should it be Jim! (she buries her face in her 

 hands. The forester has recovered his composure and is standing 

 beside his wife. Suddenly she rises and calls wildly) I don't 

 believe it — he wouldn't leave me that way — ^without sayng 

 goodbye — ^he is just overcome by the smoke and flames — I am 

 going to him — I must (she starts to run and the Forester catches 

 hold of her arm.) 



