Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1910-08-18

said after a moment.
Suddenly a faint sound broke the
stiffness, and the detective started vio-
lently. 1t was a low, humming sound
that presently grew stronger and then
sang on steadily like a buzzing wheel.
He moved about in perplexity- 1t
seemed to him that he felt a current
of air.
"Alice, come here" he called. "Stand
where l am. That's right. Now put
out your hand. Do you feel anythingF'
81 feel a draft she said.
AS she spoke the humming sound
strengthened. and with it the draft
blew stronger.
"Merciful God" cried Coquenil in a
fash of understanding. cts a blower"!
NJ. Paul turned his face upward and
listened attentively. "No doubt Of it!
It's sucking through an air shaft up
there in the ceiling"
"I-I don't understand"
HES forcing a draft from that room
to this one. He has started a blower,
l tell you, and"-
"udL 10 Il IN . put Ill AllCC.
At her frightened tone Coquenil
Gained himself and answered gently:
cts like a big electric fan. It's draw
ing air out of this room very fast with
a suction. and Pm afraid unless
Just then there came a sharp pop,
followed by a Kissing noise, as if some
one were breathing in air through shut
teeth. 1.-The blower has sucked out
one of our cloth plugs. There goes an
other" he said as the popping sound
was repeated. "And another! It's all
off with our barricade. little girl"
1.-THE fire may come through a lit
tie" he told her comfortingly, but 1
-Pll fix it SO you will be-all right.
Come! Well build another barricade.
You know wood is a 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.
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 door
with only space enough between it
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.
"Stretch 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 fix a roof over
this thing. just shut your eyes and
rest. Understand, little friend?"
"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 crouched down beside the
girl. She was quite unconscious now.
but was breathing peacefully, smiling
y 4dNS AuohCu C1u LOU 1lpS pdllGu.
Suddenly there was a crumbling of
logs at the passageway, and the cham
Der became light as day while a blast
Of heat swept I've them. Coquenil
looked out around the end Of the shell
ter and saw flames a 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
a good cause, as his father had fallen.
Alice stirred ~uneasily and opened
her eyes. Then she sat up quickly.
and there was something in her face
Coquenil had never seen there, some
thing be had never seen in any face.
She cried: You have taken my
beautiful dolly. Poor little Esmeralda!
You threw her up On that shelf. vii
lie-yes, you did,"
Then, before Coquenil could prevent
it.. she slipped out from behind the
shelter and stood up in the fire bound
chamber.
"Come back!" he cried, reaching aft
er her. but the girl evaded him.
'There it is. on that SHELF" she went
on positively. and, following her fin.
ger, Coquenil saw, what he had not
noticed before. a massive stone shelf
jutting out from the wall just over the
wood pile. You must get my dolly
she ordered.
Certainly. I'll get it." soothingly.
She stamped her foot in d%ispleasure.
II don't like this place." She caught
Coquenil's hand. Wen go out where
the fairies are. That's a much nicer
place to play. Willie"
Here there came to M. Paul an urg.
ing Of mysterious guidance, as If an
inward voice had spoken to him and
said that God was trying to save them;
that he had put wisdom In this girls
month and hi ha muSt lisfpn