The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1904-11-19

smoke. and peerine IN saw IRE. and.
Awakening the elevator boys as D.
ran. rushed 70 the alarm box and
7 pulled the lerer
F4sr a. sped the elevator boys from
story p story. summ0Blng the tenants.
( faster sped rle flames. TIE 6ue apart
house. with IT. convenient hallwars.
I irs unique Furnishings Of maple. its
vanished f88rs. its rastefully tinted
ceilings. was SITTER aA q very fimsy
structure. The contractors deemed
thar thsy were the only ones TO know
fhis-but FIRE long lad been il posses
: sion of the secret
john Peek. sleeping the sound slum-
Der Of g perfectly healthy man. al the
end o. an inside haH- with the Mos
rises absent for TIE night. and Do one
near % arouse him ald Hiss HALO
weu. slightly deaf also asleep at the
end of an inside hau 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
Tie man and the woman emerged
from their apartments simultaneously.
and met face 10 face On the landing.
No thought now 0f outward semblance
of lady and gentleman.
She elevator shaft was a due up
which whirled GUSTS u resinous smoke.
glowing cinders and bursts of t0rrid
air. while from stairs beneath little
flames sp0uted eagerly. The draft
caused the doors % 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't~ walled Miss
HaIlowell. frantically. II cant move
Ny knees are 50 weak
-Bnr you must appealed John
Give ne your hand-give It to me. /
say Her collapse irritated him
~Get up III carry you. but you must
try 70 walk
No. no. I can't she answered.
with a sob. go on. Don't you dare
70 touch me. I'd rather die here than
get caught in that long corridor
Then the fire-escape in front be
urged. -Ill help you.
No. nor she protested Historically.
raising her hands 10 keep him AZ a
distance. Don't touch me. don't touch
me, n stay here You CO.
20 thunder CALCULATED John. with
a sudden lapse into his forceful West
ern speech I'm shore not g0in to
leave yon here all alone
You jest get under this. and III
make try for that blamed elevator
he said. as lightly as he could. and he
clapped on her head his sombrer0.
which through habit lie had snatched
a. he was bolting through his room.
For a second time while in Der com
pany he was wearing it.
He pressed the electric button. but
already the elevator was crawling mp
ward after il last load-clutehed at
By the hungry flames as il brushed
them ID passing
From landing 10 landing it came.
taking On IN ones and twos persons
who. like Miss HaIlowell had been I'M
= bic to help themselves. or who. Ike
John. had remained to help others.
None would wait for the downward
trip. for who could tell what might
happen between miHutess
The heat now was intense and the
cage was in the midst Of a greedy.
roaring furnace. Fire from the stairs
curled into the sides 0f the elevator.
and when it had swept painfully by
licked It's retrearing foor It's load
was in torture Men and women alike
fought the operator as he braTely per-
sisted ia ascending
As be wrenched it back the door Of
the shaft blistered Johns hands
Cant 60 no higher gasped the ele-
vat0r boy. as the cage hesifafed opp0-
site rect in. quiekE
quick, QMckr echoed the people.
writhing as they were j0srled against
the hot ir0D-work Of their prison
For Gods sake don't stop, There's
no room shouted tie voice Of q man
maddened by torture. Down. down.
You bet there's room. pardner.T re-
piled John. rcckieSsiy. Lets Of It,
Ladies hrst=~ and with a swift mo-
fion be dragged Miss Hallowen from
her knees and fairly rammed her IN
between the squirmlng bodies.
Then then r. in an instant some
frenzied hand Jerked the lever AID the
cage shot down Flames from the
fourth floor closed over "a Ike a bar
rier. and sprang vengefuily Up tbe
stairway
Thus abandoned. John Peck turned
10 the door Of the Morris apartment /
But the nighilatch had failez into
plaee-and bis keys were iB bis room.
Desperately be tried Miss Hallowelrs