The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1908-07-03
CHAPTER XVII.-Continued.

Louise, What are you going to
do?" cried Mary, in CONSERVATION.
There were few people on this side.
Louise put her hand deliberately to
the doOr-knOb. 1t gave to her pres
sure-the door swung open. Some
one stumbled out blindly and leaned
against the wall for a moment, his
hands over his eyes.
Il cant do it." he said, aloud, Il
cant reach the vaults.
Louise slipped past him and was
within the doorway, closely followed
by the frantic Mary.
The man cried out sharply, and
stretched out a OBTAINING hand. Are
you crazy? Come back
"Mr. Gordon" cried Louise, with
little sob of relief, lis it really you?
Let me go-quck-my note books!"
A thick cloud of smoke at that mo-
ment came rolling down the back
stairs. 1t enveloped them. 1t went
down their threats and made them
cough. The man. throwing an arm
over the shoulders Of the slender girl
who had started up after the first
shock of the smoke had passed away,
pushed her gently but firmly outside.
Don't let her come. Mary" he
called back, clearly. I'll get the
note books-if | can" Then he was
gone-up the smokewreathed stair
way.
Outside, the girls waited. 1t
seemed hours. The wind, bowling
around the corners, whipped their
skirts There was a colder edge to it.
Fire at last broke out Of the back
windows simultaneously with the
sound of breaking glass. and huge
pillows of released black smoke
surged out from the new outlet.
Louise started forward. She never
knew afterward just what she meant
to do, but she sprang away from
Mary's encircling arm and ran up the
little flight of steps leading to the
door from which she had been so I'M
tremendously thrust. Afterward,
when they told her, she realized what
her impulsive action meant, but now
she did not think. She was only con-
scious Of some wild, vague impulse to
fly to the help of the man who would
even now be safe in blessed outdoors
had it not been for her and her fool
ish woman's whim. She had sent him
to his death. What were those
wretched note books-what was any
thing at all In comparison to his life.
So she stumbled blindly up the steps
The wind had slammed the door shut.
1t was cruel obstacle to keep her
back. She wrenched it open. The
clouds Of smoke that met her, rolling
out of their imprisonment like pent
up steam, choked her, blinded her,
| beat her back. She strOve imDOtently
against it. She tried to fight 1t off
with her hands-those little intensely
feminine hands whose fortune Gordon
longed to take upon himself forever
and forever. They were so small, and
weak to fead for themselves. But
small as they were, it was a good
thing they did that night. Now
Mary had firm hold of her and would
not let her 90. She struggled desper.
ateiy and tried to push her off, but
VainIy, for Mary had twice her
strength,
Mary shall never forgive volt"
She did not finish her sentence. for
at that moment Gordon staggered out
into the air. He sat down on the bot.
tom step as if he were drunk, but little
darts CT fame colorcd the surging
smoke here and there in weird
splotch and, suddenly calm now that
there was something to do, Mary and
Louise led him away from the doomed
building where the keen wind soon
blew the choking smoke from his eyes
and throat
I've swallowed ton" he said. re
covering himself quickly. Il couldn't
get them, Louise" He did not know
he called her so.
"Oh, what does it natter" cried
Louise, earnestly. Only forgive me
for sending you"
AS | remember it. ! sent mvself