The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1906-10-18
The Captain Of Thirteen
By JOHN AUSTIN SCHETTY

ooooooooooocoocoeooooooc n
Williams here. Get Jour men with a
stream on that wall Some dead, you
say. captain"
The latter hardly heard him. In |
stead. he was looking at Peniield. The !
eyes CT the Two men met for q moment |
In sudden fash OF mutual dislike. |
| then Williams answered:
there's at least six Of them up
there. No telling how many there
may be higher up!"
Down below all was wild commotion
now. Cries OF women and hoarse shouts
of men In a sudden panic came up in
a medley of sound to where the Are
fighters stood. The guests. alive now
to their danger, crowded Railways and
stafrways. while the elevator shot up
and down until its top blazed into sud
den flame, when 1t went down and
stayed there. Police and fremen in
the corridors sought to save the panic
stricken ones from themselves. Pen
field hurrying away with his men. took
one side of the shaft, Williams the
other
Williems, by roundabout way.
worked up to the next floor toward
the street. Rooms were open, but no
sign OF life came from them. He was
coming back, when he stumb, ed into
some enc who was feeling his way
rather blindly. 1t was Penfield. and
he carried an ak in one hand. As he
saw Williams his face went into a
scowi
You're the captain OF Thirteen,
aren't your" he demanded.
What Of it?" tartly replied the cap
tain
Don't talk to me, that's ALI" sput.
tered the other. In causeless wrath.
That's easy!" said Williams. ''life's
too short"
"Oh, be id to you!" cried PEN
field savagely. stumbling past MIN
+. toward the glare.
: AT that moment something went
wrong with the other hose. The men
below yelled. and one Of them start
ed down to investigate. Penfield was
nowhere in sight. In tie few moments
of inaction that followed. the flames
on that side took a new lease Of life.
and with hiss and crackle leaped anew
to their task Of destruction. 1t was
then Pepfield suddenly appeared at a
window in dangerous proximity to the
flames. He leaned out into the shaft,
and swore when he saw the predica-
ment of his men.
There was a sudden tear and crack!
Williams looked UP. saw that the
heavy elevator tackle had burned
from its fastenings. and was coming
down with all the impetus OF Its IL
stories drop! Penfeld. unheeding.
choked with anger. leaned out far
Their.
Look out, men!" cried Williams
The men with one impulse drew back
as the thing came down like a whirl
wind, and fell, tangled mass Of cable
and chain, far below. Penfield had
disappeared! For a second every one
gazed at the window in dismay.
Did II take him down with it?'
q asked Hickey. voicing the fears OF the
rest
Ie moi" cried Williams. In sudden
~ comprehension. but it's knocked hin
II on the head into kingdom comet He'i
|, lying In that room. I'll bet! And tina
is fire will be at him In a minute!" The
a others stood appalled,. There wal
10 no way to get across that yawnini
n space To seek a way through thu
m rooms would take too much time.
2. Keep your stream over near tina
window" commanded the captain
!" suddenly. Here, give me one o
is those laddersl" Then they fathome'
is his purpose as he sought to lay /
from window to window. II just meas
A. ured the distance.
g Another moment, and he was on II
o. crawling on hands and knees to tn
rescue OF the man who had reyile'
,u him but a few moments before. IL
90 got to the window and stepped In
RI side. His foot touched somethinl
A soft. II was Penheld! The floor wa
hot beneath him.
he williams saw that he would have
vn carry him. and promptly set about 4
ut BY herculean effort, of which he wa
a little conscious In the excitement q
he the moment he got the wounded ma
on his back with HIS arms about hi
e. neck. Then slowly he clambered o
s's to the ladder.
up II was only space Of ten feet. bu
We II seemed an infinite time before
was nearly covered. The rungs OF tn
in ladder cut into the rescuer's knees a
ty he slowly worked his way over, br
he held on like grim death until th
use others. reaching him. drew Penfeld
e's to safety, The chief himself cam
ne upon the scene just as this was a
on complished.
Your old tricks captain" be sal
Ie Il hope he won't forget IT,"
ng When Penfeld came TO his sense
!! and found what his rival had done. b
'ei had manhood enough to resign a
ne further attempt TO become captain {
Thirteen.
he Copyright. by Joseph q. Bowles1
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