The daily morning Alaskan. (Skagway, Alaska) 1899-1904, 1902-08-08


help. but even We could not hear him
in the increasing roar OF the Gre The
sixth story was a mass OF flames, and
we were on the eighth.
AN at once the little Duke began
dragging az our sleeves. AT last we
understood that she wanted us to fol
low her. She thought she had n chance.
We followed her, all but the telegraph
man, who shook his head hopelcssly
and held up the revolver.
"The Duke ran 20 her room and
threw open the window. Beyond and
extending TO the end OF the building
was the art room, which had no win.
dovs. but was above a corner Of the
building not yet reached by the IRE.
Pointing 70 an ornamental stone cor
nice which ran some six feet below the
window. the Duke mouoned along II
toward the corner farthest from the
fire. We caught the idea. but Il seemed
slim chance. and no ono moved.
Finally tho little Duke screamed,
You towards, follow mer She swung
herself carefully over the sill and,
hanging by her hands, just touched
the cornice with her toes Getting as
firm foothold az possible on the mar
row ledge. she steadied herself and
moved 20 one side. waiting. We let
KNAPP out next when he was fnally
on the cornice, he chung TO the wall
and refused 20 move At last tho Duke
seized his hand and began feeling her
way along the wall, gently pulling him
after her. KNAPP followed somehow,
and the rest OF us swung out after him
In a hurry, FOR the floors were culver
ing and the smoke was rolling in vol
umes from the windows below us.
Just as / swung out heard a pistol
shot and knew the telegraph man had
taken the way he thought best
1--WE chung 10 the wall and crept along
like files We were fairly steady ex'
cept KNAPP, and my heart was In my
mouth for fear he would lurch or and
carry the Duke with him. But his
knees stiflened at hast, and be did bet
ter though he never for a moment let
10 the girls hand. The bricks were
getting hotter and hotter to the touch,
and tho flames seemed TO be sweeping
toward our end OF the building.
at last the crowd saw US through a
rift I'm the smoke, and a shout went up
that seemed almost TO tear us from our
perilous hold The aremcn worked
fast. / suppose. but It seemed ages to
MS. waiting ut the corner OF the build
ing. The fireman Grst up the ladder
was sobbing like a child. but he hadn't
lost his nerve for an that lie saw
Ennp's condition and know he would
fam lf-Torced TO loose his hold on the
Duke. 80 he seized them both The rest
OF us were soon on the ladder though
some were pretty helpless, for the
bricks were fearfully hot toward the
end"
"Bmy's hands were cooked through"
lntcrpolHtcd Larry.
III was q good many weeks before
some Of us were back on The Echo, al.
though the paper was printed next day
with borrowed reporters and presses
KNAPP wan the first one back, hut you
wouldn't have known him FOR the fcl
low who had bullyraggcd as 50. Ills
hair was white and his face too. lie
was so mild he couldn't manage 1he
new men and had TO be taken or the
desk and put on editorials
"Well. II all happened Ave years ago.
but the Duke is still commander 10
chief on The Echo" concluded Billy.
But have a notion she'll some day
CONF AZ her orders 20 Billy" whispered
Tom as he rose. stein in hand, 70 pro
pose the usual toast:
Boys. the Duke~
Every man was on his feet in an In
slant "The Duke, God bless hcrl"