The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-04-26

ber 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, die
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 semblanct
Of lady and gentleman.
The elevator shaft was n nue uI
which whirled gusts OF rcsinous smoke
glowing cinders and bursts OF torrid
air, while from stairs beneath little
flames spOuted eagerly. The draft
caused the doors 10 slam behind the
two. The elevator cage was some.
where below ana descending.
"Quick-try the back wayw cried
John. Through our apartment
hurryw
con, I can't, I cantw walled Miss
IIallowcll, frantically. 81 can't move.
My knees are so wcakw
But you must" appealed John.
Give me your hand-giyc It to me,
say! Her collapse irritatcd him.
"Gct up! III carry you, but you must
try TO walk"
mo, no, | can't" she answered.
with sob eco on. Don't you dare
10 touch me! I'd rather die here than
get caught in that long corridor"
Then the lirc-cscape in front" ho
urged. "I'll help you"
mo, no" she protested hystcrically,
raising her hands to keep him at u
distance. Don't touch mel don't touch
me! II stay here. You go"
30 thunderw calculated John, with
n 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 snatchcd
as he was bolting through his room.
For second Time while in her com
pany he was wearing IL.
He pressed the electric button, but
already the elevator was crawling up
ward after it's last load-clutched at
by the hungry flames as IL brushed
them Ia passing.
From landing to landing II came,
taking on In ones and twOs persons
who, like Miss llallowcll, had been I'M
able to help themselves, or who like
John. had remained to help others.
None would wait for the downward
trip for who could tell what might
happen between minutes?
The heat now was intense, and the
cage was In the midst of greedy,
roaring furnace. Fire from the stairs
Curlcd into the sides of the elevator.
and when 1t had swept painfully by
licked its rctrcating floor, Its load
was i'm torture. Men and women alike
fought the operator as he bravcly per
sisted In ascending. 'c'e"t>',e-~
As he wrcnched II back the door of
the shaft blistcr2d Johns hands.
cant GO no higher" gaspcd the clc-
vator boy, as the cage hestated oppo-
site. Get in. quick"
quick! Quick" echoed the people,
writing as they were iostlcd against
the hot iron-work of their prison.
For Gods sake don't stop, There's
no room" shouted the voice of n man
maddcncd 10y torture. "Down, down"
You bet there's room, pardncr." re-
piled John, rcCklcssly. Lots of IL!
Ladies first" and with swift mo,
tion he dragged Miss Hallowcll from
her knees and fairly rammcd her in
between the squirmlng bodies.
Then - then -- in an instant - some
frenzied hand jerkcd the lever and the
cage shot down. Flames from the
fourth floor closed over il like n bar.
ricr, and sprang ycngcfully up the
stairway.
Thus abandoned. John Peck turned
TO the door of the Morris apartment
But the night-latch had fallen into
placc--and his keys were in his room.
Desperately he tried Miss llallowclls
door That, too. was locked. lie
dashed at the stairs. \ volcano oi
| hyc met him. smotc him in the face
and hurled him backward.-The Cri
| tcrion.