Cut Bank pioneer press. [volume] (Cut Bank, Mont.) 1909-current, 1913-08-08

the uninsured portion, across ths
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
ZIP to the ~penitentiary.
He left the lighted cigarette where
1t lay, put on his hat and coat, and
started home. He had gone about
three blocks when suddenly a 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 . %pretense. Perhaps h had
never left the premises.
He ran back, painting. and, as no
turned the corner, he saw a tiny flick
er of light high up inside the factory;
then q 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 a tiny thing;
1t had hardly spread beyond the waste
basket and was only beginning to lick
1t the wooden partition. And Maria
was not there. He remembered now
that she had told him she was COINS
to stay with q relative who was &tck
that evening.
ALI 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
G high pressure of water and q small
stationary fire hose. He attached the
tubing and let the water flow in.
Then. az the flames crept toward the
old stock on the shelves, RiRkn be-
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. Drtppings Of machine oil fed
them. They grew holder and ad-
vanced toward Riffkin again. Again
he played the hose on them, keeping
always a barrier Of water between the
door and the flames, so that his es'
cape should not be cut of.
Now the whole place IA afire. The
flames had gained the end Of the
factory and were crawling up the
walls. The glare was perceptible al
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 coult
easily be controlled. Riffkin htmsel
could have controlled it. Now he
hastily detached the hose and coiled Il
|, down the stairs to the street, where
: the fremen were already leaping from
their engines.
/, Seventh fioor!" he gasped. "
tried to stop the spread, but 1t wa
! beyond control. Hurry"
j. They did not need to hurry. In nv
: minutes more only a mass Of black an.
t coiling smoke showed where the cor
1agration had been. The f1remen'
work was done-it was just such
little fire as happens somewhere 81
cry night In the year. The crow
slowly dispersed. But Rifkin waited
I He knew that Ep would come to sc
his handiwork. Soon he perceive
e him skulking in the fringe Of tn
8 crowd.
e The two saw each other simultant
ously. Ep came forward with q
sumed anxiety.
p This Is terrible, Rifkin." he salt
It How can it have happened?"
Let's go and see," said Riffkin, an
took Ep by the arm. In silence the
D. assembled the stairs together. The
Z could see nothing inside for the dens
smoke.
"Mr. Ep," said Riffkin, 81 saw tn,
IT cigarette. It amt my business-but
q want nine hundred"
Ep attempted to buster; the
Id checking himself. sat down and quie
o. ly wrote out the check upon his blac
IL ened desk. Riffkin read it and poke
Id ed it.
at I'm sorry 1t WISE the wrong stoc
ts Mr.. Ep," he said.
What d'you mean?" shouted Ep,
tx Rifkin pointed through the smol
of clouds. AS these rolled way Ep cou
IL see that the new gowns had be,
ar wholly consumed; but upon the
shelves, neatly folded and protects
f. from the water from the hoses, Il
IT, old insured gowns with the Wi
h. sleeves reposed in their pristine gu,
Ep ity.
Id Copyright. 1918. by W. g.. Chapman.