The Red Cloud chief., 1901-05-03

smoke, and peerlng In saw fire. and.
awakening the elevator boys as he
ran. rushed to the alarm box and
pulled the lever
Fast as sped the elevator boys from
story to story. s"mmonlng the tenants,
faster sped the flames. The fine apart.
house, with Its convenient Railways,
Its unique furnishings of maple. its
Vanished floors. It's tastefully tinted
ceilings, was after all very fiimsy
structure. The contractors deemed
that they were the only ones to know
this-but fire long had been In posses.
sion Of the secret
John Peck, sleeping the sound slum-
Der OF perfectly healthy man, at the
end Of an inside hall, with the Mos
rises absent for the night, and no one
near to arouse him, and Miss Halo
well. slightly deaf, also asleep at the
end Of an inside hall opposite him, did
not comprehend the situation until
their rooms were thick with smoke
and the blaze was seeking for them.
When they leaped from their beds they
found the floor hot to their feet.
The man and the woman emerged
from their apartments simultaneously,
and met face to face on the landing.
No thought now OF outward semblance
Of lady aud gentleman.
The elevator shaft was fue up
which whirled gusts OF resinous smoke,
glowing cinders and bursts of torrid
air, while from stairs beneath little
flames spOuted eagerly. The draft
caused the doors to slam behind the
two. The elevator cage was some
where below and descending.
"Quick-try the back wayw cried
John. Through our apartment
hurry"
"Oh, l can't, I can't" walled Miss
Hallowell, frantically. II can't move.
My knees are so weak.'
But you must!" appealed John.
Give me your hand-give 1t to me, l
say" Her collapse irritated him.
Get up! III carry you, but you must
try to walk"
NO, no, l can't" she answered,
with sob. "Go ON. Don't you dare
to touch me! I'd rather die here than
get caught In that long corridor"
Then the fire escape in front" he
urged. "Tll help you"
mo, no. she protested hystercally,
raising her hands To keep him at a
distance. Don't touch me! don't touch
me! IL stay here. You co.
| 20 thunder.' calculated John. with
a sudden lapse into his forceful West.
ern speech. I'm shore not goin' to
leave you here all alone"
You jest get under this. and III
make a try for that blamed elevator -
he said, as lightly as he could, and he
clapped on her head his sombrero
which through habit he had snatcheG
as he was boltlng through his room.
For a second time while In her com
pany he was wearing 1t.
He pressed the electric button, bu
already the elevator was crawling up
ward, after its last load-clutched a
by the hungry flames rs it brushed
them in passing.
From landing to landing It came
taking on in ones and twos persons
who, like Miss Hallowell, had been un
able to help themselves, or who, lik,
John, had remained to help others
None would wait for the downwar,
trip, for who could tell what nigh
happen between minutes?
The heat now was intense. and tn
cage was In the midst OF greedy
roaring furnace. Fire from the stair
curled into the sides of the elevator
and when 1t had swept painfully b.
licked Its retreating floor. Its loa
was In torture. Men and women alik
fought the operator as he bravely pei
sisted In ascending.
AS he wrenched 1t back the door Q
the shaft blistered Johns hands.
Cant go no higher"' gasped the ell,
vator boy, as the cage besitated opp,
site. Get In, quick"
Quick! Quickw echoed the peopl,
writhing as they We're jostled agains
the hot ironwOrk of their prison.
For Gods sake, don't stop! There
t no room" shouted the voice of ma
? maddened by torture. Down. down
"iou bet there's room, pardner," T.
I piled John, recklessly. Lots of
:. Ladies' tirst-" and with a swift IN
: tion he dragged Miss Halloweil fro
: her knees and fairly rammed her
e between the sQuirmlng bodies.
I Then - then - In an instant - son
n frenzled hand jerked the lever aud Il
cage shot down. Flames from Il
o fourth floor closed over II like a ba
S rler, and sprang vengefully up Il
It stairway.
Q Thus abandoned, John Peck turn,
to the door of the Morris apartmer
& But the night-latch had fallen in
+ place-and his keys were In his rool
III DpsnpPntaly ha fpinI Miss VnllnNyal