The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1913-05-30

the uninsured portion, across the
/ room.
His heart burned with bitter anger.
Well, he would not put out the blaze.
Let the factory burn; he would give
evidence afterward that would send
Ep to the penitentiary.
He left the lighted cigarette where
it lay, put on his hat and coat, and
started home. He had gone about
three blocks when suddenly thought
gripped his heart with horror.
Maria was working overtime in the
factory. She would be back that
night perhaps she was back now.
He suspected that her going away was
only a pretense. Perhaps she had
never left the premises.
He ran back, painting, and. as he
turned the corner. he saw tiny flick
er of light high up inside the factory;
then thin wisp Of smoke. 1t was
dark and the street was empty. No
! body would notice the fire until 1t got
beyond control And Maria sewed
behind the office partition; she would
see nothing until the flames had caught
the woodwork and blocked the exit.
He dashed into the building and ran
breathlessly up the seven flights of
stairs. He burst open the door.
Thank heaven, no harm was done.
The fire was still only tiny thing;
it had hardly spread beyond the waste
basket and was only beginning to lick
at the wooden partition. And Maria
| was not there. He remembered now
that she had told him she was going
to stay with a relative who was sick
that evening.
All at once he saw his opportunity.
He would repay Ep for his trickery
| in a double sense. Beside the door.
placed there for the very purpose
which it was to serve, was a sink with
a high pressure Of water and small
stationary fire hose. He attached the
tubing and let the water flow in.
Then. as the flames crept toward the
old stock on the shelves, Riffkin be-
gan to play the hose upon them.
They Kissed and leaped, but water
quenches fire. Slowly they receded
backward, caught the waste rags be-
side the machines. licked them up.
and began to run hungrily along the
floor. Drippings of machine oil fed
them. They grew holder and adj
yanced toward Riffkin again. Again
he played the hose on them, keeping
always barrier of water between the
door and the flames, SO that his es-
cape should not be cut of.
Now the whole place was afire. The
flames had gained the end of the
factory and were crawling up the
| walls. The glare was perceptible all
down the street. Riffkin heard shouts
underneath the windows. Then came
the welcome clang of the fire bell, as
the engines came galloping up.
His task was done. The fire could
easily be controlled Riffkin himself
could have controlled it. Now he
hastily detached the hose and coiled it
into its place. Then he ran agilely
down the stairs to the street. where
the fremen were already leaping from
their engines.
Seventh floor!" he gasped. Il
tried to stop the spread, but it was
DeyOn0 control. Hurry!
j They did not need to hurry In five.
minutes more only mass of black and
coiling smoke showed where the con-
/ fiagration had been. The firemen's
work was doneit was just such
little fire as happens somewhere ev-
cry night in the year The crowd
slowly dispersed. But Riffkin waited.
He knew that Ep would come to see
his handiwork. Soon he perceived
him skulking in the fringe OF the
crowd.
The two saw each other simultane-
ously Ep came forward with as
sumed anxiety.
This is terrible, Riffkin.'' he said.
"How can it have happened?"
Let's go and see," said Riffkin. and
took Ep by the arm. In silence they
assembled the stairs together. They
could see nothing inside for the dense
smoke.
| "Mr. Ep." said Riffkin. Il saw that
cigarette 1t amt my business-but
want nine hundred"
I Ep attempted to buster: then.
checking himself. sat down and quiet
ly wrote out the check upon his black.
ened desk. Riffkin read 1t and pocket
ed 1t.
4 I'm sorry it was the wrong stock.
Mr.. Ep." he said
What d'you mean?" shouted Ep.
/ Riffkin pointed through the smoke
clouds. AS these rolled away Ep could
see that the new gowns had been
wholly consumed; but upon their
shelves. neatly folded and protected
from the water from the hoses, the
old insured gowns with the wide
sleeves reposed in their pristine quail
ity.