The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-08

nlnOhei auu pecflnR III hdW uft, huui
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, summoning the tenants,
faster sped the flames. The fine apart
house, with lis 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 possess
sion Of the secret.
John Peck, sleeping the sound slum-
Der Of a 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, aud 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.
aud met face to face on the landing
No thought now Of outward sembiance
Of lady and 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 way." cried
John. Through our apartment
hurry
"Oh. can't. ! can'tr' walled Miss
HallowelI, frantically. Il can't move
My knees are 70 weakr
But you mustr' appealed John
Give me your hand give It to me,
say" Her collapse irritated him
"Get up III carry you. but you mus
try to walk"
NO, no. can't" she answered
with d sob. 60 on. Don't you dare
to .ouch me. I'd rather die here than
get caught In that long corridor"
Then the fire-escape IN 'front.'" he
urged. "rll help you"
NO, no." she protested hysterically
raising her hands to keep him at 3
distance, Don't touch me- don't touch
mel III stay here. You gor'
20 thunder" CALCULATED John. Will
q sudden lapse into his forceful West
ern speech. I'm shore not goin' e
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 h'
clapped on her head his sombrer0
which through habit he had saatcheC
as he was bolting through his room.
For a second time while In her com
pany he was wearing it.
He pressed the electric button. bu
already the elevator was crawling up
ward. after its last load-clutched a
by the hungry flames as 1t brushed
them IN passing.
From landing to landing ii came
taking on IN ones and twos person
who, like Miss Hallowell, had been IN
able to help themselves. or who. lik
John, had remained to help Others
None would wait for the downward
trip. for who could tell what nigh
happen between minutes?
The heat now was intense. and th
cage was in the midst of a 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 It's Loaf
was in torture Men and women allk
fought the operator as he bravely pei
sisted In ascending.
As he wrenched it back the door Q
the shaft hlistered Johns hands.
Cant go no higherr gasped the Ell,
vator boy, as the cage hesitated oppC
site. Get in. quickr'
"Quickl Quickr echoed the people
writhing as they were jostled agains
the hot iron-work of their prison.
For Gods sake, don't stopl There
no room9' shouted the voice OF ma
maddened by torture. Down. down
you bet there's room, pardner." n
piled John, recklessly. Lots Of Il
Ladies first-r and with a swift m,
ton he dragged Miss Hallowell frol
her knees and fairly rammed her
between the sQuirming bodies.
Then - then = in an instant r som
frenzied hand jerked the lever and n
cage shot down. Flames from tn
fourth floor closed over 1t like ba
! rler, and sprang vengefully up th
stairway.
Thus abandoned. John Peck turne
to the door of the Morris apartmen
, But the night-latch had fallen int
place-and his keys were in his room
Desperately he tried Miss Hallowell