The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-19

, They were just getting interested. and
/ Daring was playing very badly, when
Bradshaw broke out suddenly:
Say, Philly, you amt smOkin' more
rubber bands, are you? 1t smells like
! somethin' was burnin'.'
Just this state I guess" responded
/ PHI, continuing the game.
/ They played on for few more min
: utes
| TOmmy's voice rang out.
/ It's a foretaste of hell" Mike re-
| joined.
smell like state, either"
The attendant rose and went down
/ the corridor, shifting the air and look
/ ing in each cell
/ The game was half over and Phil
wanted to finish it up and lose as quick
| Is as possible in order to get rid of the
1 banana that contained the file.
I He was so interested in that purpose
4 he had no time to listen to the queries
/ that were being passed around concern
/ ing the smoke.
| Suddenly a vague uneasiness grew
/ on the men. rhil began to feel 1t.
Il smell 1t, too, he broke out sud
/ denly. 1T smells ike wood. Can you
| see anything outside guard %
| oh, I guess it's nothing but the
| smoke from the kitchen" answered the
| attendant, but there was uncertainty. in
| his voice. strange premonition
| thrilled through Phil
Let stop this game. I'm tired" he
] told Bob, slipping the stuffed banana
! into ais pocket and standing up, sniff-
/ ing at the smoke
I think there's a fire." said Tommy,
and the guard walked back and forth,
anNously.
Say, isn't this my exercise day?'
"The attendant, anxiCYs to quell the
| rising excitement, snatched at the sug-
/ gestion. and stepped over to Pills cell
! after pulling down all the curtains
! =
/ up; that smells gettin' stronger cried
| Bradshaw.
You know ] can't leave my post. %
answered the attendant, ''and there s
BOYS. there's a fire. I think wei e
going to be burned up" shouted
sShut up demanded the quart
seeming a panic. ITS only the smOka
from the kitchen"
BY this time Phil was in the corridor
with the guard, and they paced up and
down together. the attendant watching
Phil closely. his gun ready to fire on
the slightest suspicious movement.
A thin film of smoke was gathering a:
a height of about five feet from the
floor.
The men moved about restlessIy in
their cells. shouting out their fears; for
on the slightest Indication of smoke IN
a nrisOn, the men become panic-stricken
The attendant stepped to the one little
window in the place. the one that Phi
had noticed so often, with the low she1
twenty feet below.
The attendant stood fascinated foE
Iseveral moments. Phil pushed up beside
Get back there: cried the guard,
wheeling, and shutting of Pills view
Of the yard.
From the mans manner Daring knew
that there was a crisis close at hand
! The smoke By this time was issuing
through the keyhole and cracks of the
outer door.
Slam!
Up went the curtain to Bloke Brady
sClose that"' cried the guard. running
IN the cell and jerking down the blind.
Slam
At the same moment the curtain To
Mixes cell flashed up.
The guard was thrown into a sudden
frenzy The smoke he'd become dense
and he could see but d My.
There was a eIatter Of heavy feet be-
low
They're gettin' ont downstairs 20
cried Brady, finging up his curtain
again.
Every man in the wing began to shout
and throw up his curtain TO see what
was going on.
The attendant grabbed Phil by the
arm and led him quickly to his cell.
At that moment a belching Of smoke
burst through the door.
The attendant turned He could
hardly see the door on account Of the
smoke that had become thick so sud
denly.
Pandemonium reigned, The prisoners
were screaming and trying TO shake the
heavy bars in front of their cells. One
hurled q shoe at the guard.