Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-13

wood.
I'VE must stop this" he cried. and,
tearing the shirt from his shoulders.
he ripped 1t into fragments and wedg.
ed these tight between the logs.
1--WE must have more CLOTH" he said
gravely. 'It's our only chance, little
friend. I'll put out the candle! There!
Let me have-whatever you can and
be quickw
Again he worked with frantic haste,
stufang in the last shreds and rags
that could be spared from their bodies
whenever a dull glow from the other
side revealed crock in the barricade.
"There,n he painted; "that's the best
we dan do! Now it's up to God! I be
ieve we have stopped the draft he
said after moment
Suddenly a faint sound broke the
stiffness, and the detective started vio-
lently. It was low. humming sound
that presently grew stronger and then
sang on steadily like buzzing wheel.
He moved about in perplexity. 1T
seemed to him that he felt current
of air.
'Alice, come herev' he called. "Stand
where am. That's right. Now put
out your hand. Do you feel anythingl"
81 feel draft" she said.
As she spoke the humming sound
strengthened, and with it the draft
blew stronger.
'tMerciful God," cried CoQuenil in
fash Of understanding, Sits blowers
M. Paul turned his face upward and
listened attentively. mo doubt Of it!
It's sucking through an air shaft up
there in the ceiling"
'sII don't understand" -
s.He's forcing draft from that room
to this one. He has started q blower,
! tell you, and
'What Is blower?' put ii Alice.
At her frightened tone Coquenu
Gained himself and answered gently:
s'Its like big electric fan. It's draw
ing air out of this room very fast with
a suction, and I'm afraid unless
Just then there came q sharp pop.
followed by kissing noise, as If some
one were breathing in air through shut
teeth. "The blower has sucked out
one of our cloth plugs. There goes an
othery he said as the popping sound
was repeated. "And another! It's all
off with our barricade, little girl"
'The fire may come through a lit
tie" he told her comfortingly, "but
LII fix It SO you will be-a1r right.
Come! Well build another barricade
You know wood is bad conductor
OF heat. and-if you have wood all
about you and-over you, why, the
fire can't burn you"
"Oh!" said Alice.
well go over to this door as fur
from the passageway as we can get.
Now bring me logs from that side
pile. That's right"
Most of the smoke at first was
borne upward by the blowers suction,
and Alice was able to help Coquenil
with the new barricade. They built
this directly in front Of the iron deor
with only space enough between 1t
and the door to allow them to crouch
behind it. They made It about five feet
long and three feet high.
"Lie down there" he directed.
'sstretch right out behind the logs and
keep your mouth close to the floor and
as near as you can to the crack under
the door. You'll have plenty Of cool
sweet air. Now I'll Ak roof over
this thing. Just shut your eyes and
rest Understand, little friendY'
"Ye-es." family.
He turned toward the barricade and
saw that the flames were licking their
way through the wall Of logs. The
heat was becoming unbearable. Co
quenil crawled in behind the shelter
Of logs and crouchsd down beside the
girl. She was quite unconscious now,
but was breathing peacefully, smiling
", with face flushed and red lips pared.
Suddenly there was crumbling Of
logs ut the passageway, and the cham
Der became Hight as day while q blast
Of heat swept over them. CoquenN
booked out around the end Of the shell
ter and saw flames yard long shoot
ing toward them through widening
breaches in the logs.
Then he thought Of his mother. She
would know that her boy had fallen in
q good cause, as his father had fallen.
Alice stirred uneasily and opened
LICK eyes. - AcA SnC SAT uR Nu4CA1ys
and there was something in her face
Coquenil had never seen there, some
thing he had never seen in any face.
She cried: "You have taken my
beautiful dolly. ErooT little EsnerTaa ada!
You threw her up on that shelf, VIII
he-yes, you did"
Then, before CoQuenl could prevent
II, she slipped out from behind the
shelter and stood up In the dre bound
chamber.
'sCome back?' he cried, reaching aft
er her, but the girl evaded him.
There 1t is, on that SHELF" she went
on positively, and, following her fin
ger, Coquenil saw, what he had not
noticed before, massive stone shelf
jutting out from the wan just over the
wood pile. '"You must get my dolly"
she ordered.
Certainly, I'll get it, )" soothingly.
She stamped her foot In displeasure.
II don't like this place" She caught
Coquenil's hand. wen 80 out where
the fairies are. That's . much nicer
place to play, W1llie."
Here there came to II. Paul IN urg-
Ing Of myeterteus guidance, AS II an !,
inward ,vois Aad spsksnl to, hin ana
said that God was trying to save them;