Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-20
WHILE THE TWO
SISTERS BURNED.
BY RAY STANNARD BAKER.

| "A1es" shouted the hoarse voice
of twenty's lieutenant.
Instantly Christianson, Scanlon,
Greenman and the others lined up be-
side him.
''Cut down that WALL"
Scanlon struck terrible blow on
the springy pine boards that formed
the north side of the room. Giles fol-
lowed. Their axes rebounded as if
they were striking stone wall. But
they never paused for an instant. In
ten seconds the wall was down. Out
side of it the plates of sheet iron still
held firm.
"Stand firm" shouted Wendt.
The truckmen leaped back. Wendt's
big body drew itself up to its full
height, his AK swung high. and then
crashed against the iron. The handle
snapped short, but the head was
driven through. Wendt's big boot
finished the work. Ten half-suffocat-
ed men crawled out on the main roof
of the elevator.
Far below, blurring together into
one vision of white, thousand anx-
ious, upturned faces gazed at them.
A faint shout of relief came up. In
one swift glance the fremen saw the
fire-tugs, the pride Of the department,
coughing and grunting in the river
below; they saw twenty's leads cooling
freight cars on the siding; they saw
the tops of the streams of water that
came almost up to them, then opened
like white blossoms and fell back in
spray. They could hear the shrill
squealing OF the engines for coal, the
rush and roar of the fire, and then the
shouts of the marshal, borne up to
them family above the din:
Come down! come down."
But going down was not such an
easy matter. At their feet the edge
of the slate roof, built something like
a mansard, pitched on a steep angle
dozen feet downward to u narrow
ledge supporting the rain gutter. Six
yards from the bottom the top of a
four-inch stand-pipe crooked over the
edge of the roof.
Down below the marshal was call
ing their attention in pantomime to
this pipe. 1t was their only salvation.
They knew that well enough.
Can you do it?" asked Wendt,
withouta a quaver in his voice.
81 think I can," was, Quirk's an
swer. cts better than burning.
Quirk's lips set tight. A fireman is
trained to take chances, but not such
chances as these. He sat down on
the edge of the roof, with his feet
hanging over. He must slide down
the steep slate mansard, now slippery
with water covered with cinders, and
he must stop, if he could, at the gut
ter ledge, which was only few inches
wide. If he did not stop-the lit
tered planks of the court were hun
dred feet below.
A fireman may not think OF his
wife or of his babies at such time.
He must act without tremor and
take his chances.
Quirk slid. His rubber boots
struck the ledge, his body bounded
up, for moment he stood balarc ed
like tight-rope walker on the gutter
ledge, and then he fell back on the
slate mansard, safe. Below, thou
sand men with clenched hands and
bitten lips groaned their relief.
Giles came next Quirk, who had
steadied himself, caught him. Then
Gies caught Christianson, and Chris
tianson caught Fuller. 1t was Green.
mans turn. Greenman was blue
about the lips. He told Scanlon that
it was terrible risk to take.
STEADY, now," shouted Wendt,
hoarsely. Don't look down."
Greenman slid. He looked at the
; same moment. His rubber boot
struck the ledge, caught-then slipped
, ''I'm lostl" he shouted, as his body
shot dlzzily over the brink.
J ''No, you amt" growled Fuller
grimly. He had caught Greenman
by the collar.
A moment both men tottered on the
, ledge, one below and one above.
merciful burst of smoke shot up ant
} wiped out the horrid sight from the
} crowd> When it passed Greeman was
lying limp on the ledge, with Fuller.
hand ye. twisted in his collar.