The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-02-02

So high was the top Of the great hotel
that the garish blue-white of the eiec-
trio lights which SO lavishly dotted the
city was toned down TO d gentle lumin-
Gus haze.
The man on the bed tossed from side
10 side uneasily, rolled on 10 his back,
lay with his mouth upon the pillow.
In his right hand he held crunched a
letter written in woman's writing, and
as certain waves OF dream crept over
him he rumpled the letter savagely,
and mumbled through his felenched
teeth words OF inarticulate fury At
last his dream seemed 20 eliminate,
and he broke into a paroxysm OF cough
ing, which awolse him. His senses,
dim at first, drew rapidly To the alert.
His eyes, SO recently glued with sleep,
ypened quickly To their fullest stretch.
siis nostrils worked like the nostrils Of
T. dog on a trail.
Smoke! Tobacco smoke? l don't
think so. IL smells TO me like the reelS
OF burning woodf
His eyes were beginning 70 open
wider, with the unnatural expansion
OF terror. George Carr had been in
America before, and knew what these
things portended. Qniclsly dropping
his feet on 20 the boards Of the door,
he walked across them, unlocked his
door, and opening IL looked into the
passage. He had no doubt then rs TO
what had occurred. Not far below him
was the crisp cracking of flames, and
mingled with II came the cries OF badly
frightened women and men.
MY God, the hotel Is on fire, !" he ex-
claimed. 1T Is built Of wood from
cellar TO roof Tree; IL Is crammed with
people, and ara close under the shin
giles ON the eleventh foor!"
lie went out on 20 the landing In his
night-gear as he was and attempted
TO descend. Columns 81 grey vapor
which stung the eyes and nostrils
rolled up the shaft Of the stairway;
and, looking over the banisters, he saw
through the smoke arms Of tawny flame
which shot greedily up towards him.
The heat was terrific; IL drove him
back To his room even before the smoke
forced a retre&t. Baked by the con-
tinucd heat OF summer. the great wood
en- hotel was burning 90 though IL had
been anointed with tar.
Carr ran back 10 his bedroom and
stood in the midst OF the floor trem-
bling like o leaf lie still held in his
fingers the crumpled letter in wom-
ans handwriting wifc's; but re-
Numbering il. broke out into new fury,
and tore IL into tiny squares, which
huttered like white butterflies before
the rising draught.
''Grasping, heartless wretch that she
S." he cried III IL had not been for
this letter, goading me TO mike more
money, and still more money. ! should
be catching this mornings Hutue boat
from New York harbor AS IL Is, I'm
here 10 burn slowly TO death unless
choose TO make quicker ending Of II
by jumping out on 20 the road two
hundred feet below" He gave a fierce
snort OF laugh. Suicide is wrong,
we are told. wonder il il would be
sinful for me 20 end my miscries quick
ly, instead Of remaining till life is tedi-
ously roasted out OF me here. II Is a
nice point; but shall not argue IL out
now. I'm going 10 shut my eyes, and
Jump into eternity"
The booming roar Of the flames in
the shaft Of the stairs drew nearer and
nearer. IL was of no use 20 wait. OF
earthly help none could come. lie