The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1910-08-04

/ was lireiu; Tiled Dy the WU q pile ana
| Cotluenii proceeded 10 ill III, the -, l,rt
! half. ayin" io-s on the -nuui length
/ wise in the open part OF the i.:.SS;, ~
! from chaN!'"r To chlin'pr and then
! laying other logs on ,np of these uld
so on as rapidly as the glri brought
wood
They worked with all speed Sucn
! the phSS:,geway WAS Solitlly walled
with closely fitted logs to The height of
six feet. .Ainve This. in the ar.h.1i
part. cnuuenil worked more slowly.
selecting logs of such shape and size
| as would Till the curve with the fewpst
number Of cracks bet wpcn them
There was danger in cracks betty cel,
the obStructing logs. for cracks meant
n draft. and Il draft nit:lni the spread
ing Of he fire
"\ow." said NJ. Paul. surveying the
blocked l'aSsageway. that is the best
we can drwith wood. We must stop
these cracks with something else.
| What did you WEAR" lie glanced At
the chair where Alice had thrown her
things. "A white cloak and a straw
hat with white veil and black vel
vet ribbon. Tear off the ribbon and.
we can't stand on ceremony Here are
my coat and vest. Zip them into strips
and Great God. There's the smoke
now:
AS he spoke Il rhin grayish feather
curled out between two of the upper
logs and toateN away: another came
below it. Somewhere De IIci;elmann-
Rruck had pressed an electric button.
and under the logs deadly sparks had
jumped in the waiting finder. They
were prisoners in huge. slowly heat
ing oven stacked with tons of dry
wood
I'VE must stop this" he cried. and.
tearing the shirt from his shoulders.
he rinped if into fragments and wedg
ed these tight between the logs.
I'VE must have more CLOTH" he said
gravey. IT'S our only chance. little
friend I'll put out the candle! There.
Let me whatever you can and
he quick
Again he worked with frantic haste,
stuIIiny in the last shreds and rags
that could be spared from their bodies
whenever Il dull glow from the other
side revealed IL crock in The barricade
"rhcre." he painted: that's the bes,
we can do. Now it's up to God! | be-
lieve we have stopped the draft" he
said after Il moment.
Suddenly faint sound broke the
stiffness, and the detective started vio-
lentiy 1t was low. humming sound
that presently grew stronger and then
sang on steadily like bnzzing wheel.
lie moved about IN perplexity. 1t
seemed to him that he felt current
OF air,
Alice. come here" he called. ''Stand
where am. That's right Now put
out your hand. DO you feel anything?'
~ feel draft" she said.
AS she spoke the humming sound
strengthened. and with It the draft
blew stronger.
''AIerciful God" cried CoqueDil in a
fash of understanding. Its II blower"'
NJ Paul turned his face upward and
listened attentively. mo doubt Of it!
Its sucking through an air shaft up
there in the ceiling"
| uOu u.
'Ile's forcing a draft from that room
to this one He has started blower
tell you. AND
"Wha, is Il blower?" prt in Alice
At her frightened tone Caquenil
Gained himself and answered gently
"Tt'S like big electric fan It's draw
In air Out Of this room very fast With
suction. and I'm afraid unless
Just then there came 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
other" he said as the popping sound
was repeated. "And another. It's all
off with our barricade. little girl"
The fire may come through lit
tie. he told her comforringly. ''bnt
Ill fix ii SO you will De-all right.
Come: Wen build another barricade
You know wood is bad conductor
OF heat. anu--if YOU have wood all
about you and-over you, why, the
fire can't burn you"
oh" said Alice.
| WV T" ~ WV ~ ltllS uOoT us IuT
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 COquenii
with the new barricade They bull
this directly In front Of the iron door
with only space enough between II
and The door to allow them to crouch
behind it They lnaGe it about five feet
long aud three feet high
Lie down there" he directed
| ..Strut1h r;nh, 1,.4 l.li.a Al =,