Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-05-23

Evidently the pair had conspirel to
insure the mill for far more than its
value, and then burn it down to Sc
cure the insurance money. After
waiting a reasonable length Of time
they we're now about to commit the
criminal deed.
Sam was borrified and daZed by the
discovery, aud before be could make
up his mind what to do a laughable
thing happened. One of the escaped
eels---a long, thick fellow---wriggied
swiftly across the heap Of shavings.
Snakes" yelled Dave Marsh, and he
jumped back in such hurry that he
knocked the ladder loose from above,
and narrowly missed being pinned un-
der it when it fell with clash.
He recovered from his fright immc-
diately and joined Becker III search
for the reptile. They saw it slip
through hole in the floor, but they
we're not close enough to discover its
real nature. Had they turned the
lantern in wider radius they must
have seen the bucket, and then their
suspicious would have been aroused.
''It was nothing but atcr-slakc,
muttered Becker "You made nice
racket, and some one may have heard
it. We must get out Of this.
''All right, asscntcd Marsh. eft
only needs the finishing touch now.
He took n couple Of steps forward
and bent down.
Meanwhile, Sam, whose horror had
| given place to a spasm Of mirth at the
occurrence, WAS pressing his face
against the floor to smother the laugh
ter that threatened to bctrav INN.
! When he remembered the serious side
OF the situation aud looked TO see
what the plotters were doing lie found
them gone. Where they had stood a
sort Of fuse was burning with little
| puf1s of flame.
Had Sam been down on the floor he
could have extinguished the fire III its
present state by stamp of his foot.
| He knew this, and it maddened him to
think that the loss of the ladder made
him prisoner. He wasted half min
ute in hesitation. and then, as the dis
tnnce was not more than fifteen feet, he
decided to drop and take the chances Of
breaking through the rotten boards
l;ut Just as he was in the act Of
swinging through the opening by his
hands the burning fuse reached the
paper and shavings, which were satu-
rated with OIL They burst into a fu-
rious blaze, aud at once the rouring
flames spread to the dry timber.
The conilagration was beyond con
troll now, though there was still an op-
portllnltv Tor Sam to have saved him
self by jumping. But he feared to risk
1t III the face OF the flames, and when a
draught of mir sucked volume Of
smoke and sparks upward he tumbled
back with sudden realization of his
peril. For several minutes he CROPPED
hlindlv over the floor, searching for a
window that he knew opened on the
land side Of the MILL Then the in
creasiug red glare from below gave
him Il partial light, and he saw what he
wanted.
70 his horror the shutter Of the w u
dow was closed. and it had been SO long
IN that condition that If would not
budge. He thumped and pounded it
IN vain. The open trap was within a
few feet, and the heat anil smoke soon
compelled him to abandon his efforts
and retreat to the forward end of the
loft. Now his plight seemed to be
hopeless. There were no other WIN
dows, and lie could neither pull up
any boards OF the floor nor find hole
large enough to allow linn TO drop
through
He ran wildly here and there, kick
ing, pounding and shouting for helr.
The whole rear of the mill was now
one roaring blaze; red flames were
shooting up into the loft, and sparks
and smoke were curling thicklv for
ward
Suddenly loud cries aud tramplln1
feet were heard outside. Sam knew
tia, people had arrived from the VII
lage, and he shouted aud yelled at til,
top OF his voice. He Imagined tLa
the crowd answered, bat tie though
tia. they were poweriess 10 all hin
banlshed this last ray .; hope