The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-01-17

gan Adjusting the Logs.
room until the plumber has fixed the
radiator" said Cecilia.
''And If you knew Mr.. Ames' game
I'm sure you wouldn't care to waste
time on him." piped Virgins, whom l
had frequently vanquished in billiard
bouts at the Hare and Tortoise, where,
I may say modestly, 1 had long been
considered one Of the most formidab bic
of the clubs players.
Both he and Cecilia had risen, and
we stood, 1 remember, just before the
hearth during this exchange. At this
moment a singular thing happened
The fire that had been sweeping in
broad wave1ike curve into the chin
ney was checked suddenly. 1 had re-
peatedly remarked the admirable draft,
the facile grace of the fame as it rose
and vanished. The cessation of the
draft was unmarked by any of those
premonitory symptoms by which a fire
usually gives warning of evil inten
tons. The upward current of air had
ceased utterly and without apparent
cause. We were all aware of choking.
a gasping in the deep f1ue, which could
not be accounted for by any natural
stOppage incident to chimneys-the
disIodging of masonry or packing of
SCOT. The former was hardly possible
and the house was not old enough to
make the latter theory plausible. From
my survey of the fue on my arrival in
the afternoon Judged that this par
ticular chimney had been little used.
The smoke now rolled out in pillows
and drove US back from the hearth. L
seized the tongs and poker and began
41n 70T7f EnV
ever, any hope of correcting a difficulty
that lay patiently in the upper regions
of the fue itself The smoke, after a
courageous effort to rise, encountered
an obstruction of some sort and ebbed
back upon the hearth and out into the
room. My efforts to stop the trouble
by shifting the logs were futile, as
expected them to be, and I reiterated
quickly, making, I fear, no very gal
liant appearance as I mopped my face
and eyes.
WELL" exclaimed Miss Hollister,
who had rung for servant to open
the doors and windows, "this is GER
ta1nly most extraordinary. What So
luton do you offer, Mr.. Ames2"
1.-THE matter requires investigation.
can't venture an opinion until have
made a thorough investigation The
night is perfectly quiet, and the wind
is hardly responsible. I think we had
better abandon the room until I can
solve this riddle in the morning"
The prompt opening Of the windows
and doors caused the slow dispersion
of the smoke, but the lights in the
room still shone dimly as through a
fog.
tits beastly!' calculated Virgins,
coughing. 81 didn't suppose Pepper
ton would put a fue like that into a
| house. He ought to be shotv'
at is Fortunate said Miss Hollis
ter, that Mr.. Ames is on the ground
! He now has a case that will test his
most acute powers of diagnosis"
The logs that had burned so brightly
before the chimney choked still held
their flames stubbornly, and 1 had ad
vised against pouring water upor
4f1em, fearing to crack the brick an6
| stone work. We were about to adjourn
| to the drawing room. Miss HolHstel
and the others had in fact reached
| the door, leaving me alone before the
hearth. Then, as 1 stood half blinded
| watching the smoke pour out into the
room and more puzzled than 1 haC
ever been before in any of my EN-
Payments, the chimney, with a deeI
intake of breath, began drawing thu
smoke upward again. The flames caugh
and spread with renewed artlor, anC
when the trio still lettering in the hal
returned in answer to my exclamation
of surprise, the hue had recovered it
| composure and was behaving in a san,
| and normal manner.
"a swallow undoubtedly fell into tn,
chfmneypot and then got itself on
| again. suggested Cecilia.
1.-The logs must have been wet tn
| san hadn't dried out yet" propose'