The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-09-07
BY KATE AND VIRGIL BOYLES
Copyright,
A. G. Mcclure Il Co.
(Continued from our last issue.
CHAPTER X.

! CHAPTER X.
| Fire
| The wind arose along toward
midnight. 1t ratified loose window
castings in the hotel, so that peo-
pie turned uneasily in their beds.
Louise was awakened by a sud
den shrek of wind that swept
through the slight aperture left by
! the raised window and sent some
thing crashing to the floor. She
lay for a moment drowsily won
dering what had fallen. The next
thing of which she was conscious,
Mary was shaking her excitedly.
| What is it?" she asked sleep
lily.
Louise! There's fire some
where. Listen!" :.
Some one rushed quickly
through the hall; Others followed,
knocking against the walls in the
darkness. The girls sprang to the
floor. The thought had found
swift Judgment in the mind OF
each that the hotel was on fire,
and in that moment Louise
thought of the poisoned meat that
had once been served to some
arch-enemies of the gang whose
chief was now on trial for his lib
erty. So quickly does the brain
work under stress of great crises
that, even before she had her
shoes and stockings on, she found
herself wondering who was the
marked victim this time. Not
Williston-he was dead. Not Cor
don-he slept in his own room
back of the office. Not Langford
he was bunking with his friend
in that same room. Jim Munson?
Or was the judge the prescribed
one? He could not be bought. 1t
might be he. Mary had gone TO
the window.
"Louise!" she gasped. "The
court housed"
my note books!" cried Louise.
in a flash of comprehension. She
dressed hastily. Shirstwaist was
too intricate, so she threw on a
japanese kimono; her jacket and
walking skirt concealed the limi-
tations of her attire.
They fastened out into the hall
way, down the stairs. Out into the
bleak and windy night.
It'll burn like paper in this
wind!" some one cried, as bunch
of men hurried past them. The
words were literally whipped out
of his mouth. Wont save a
thing"
Flames were bursting out of
the front windows upstairs. The
sky was all alight. Sparks were
tossed madly southwark by the
wind. There was grave danger
for buildings other than the one
already doomed. The roar of the
wind and the flames was we'll
night deafening. The back wind
ows and stairs seemed clear.
Hurry. Mary, hurry" cried
Louise, above the roar, and press
ed forward, stumbling and gasp
ing for the breath that the wild
wind coveted.
AS the girls came within the
crowded circle Of light they over
heard something of a gallant at
tempt on the part of somebody to
save the county records-they did
not hear whether or not the at
tempt had been successful. They
made their way to the rear. 1t
was still dark.
Louise! What are you going
to do?" cried Mary, in consterna-
ton. There were few people on
this side. Louise put her hand
deliberately to the door knob
the door swung open. Some one
stumbled out blindly, and leaned
against the wall for a moment,
his hands over his eyes.
81 can't do it," he said aloud.
II can't reach the vaults"
Louise slipped past him and
was within the doorway, closely
followed by the frantic Mary.
The man cried out sharply, and
stretched out a OBTAINING hand.
Are you crazy? Come back!"
"Mr. Gordon!" cried Louise,
with a little sob of relief, us II
really you? Let me go-quick-
my note books!"
A thick cloud of smoke at that
moment came rolling down the
back stairs. The man, throwing an
arm over the shoulders of the
slender girl who had started up
after the first shock of the smoke
had passed away, pushed her gent
ly but firmly outside.
Don't let her come, Mary" he
called back, clearly. 'I'll get the
note books-if can" Then he
was gone-up the smoke-wreath-
ed stairway.
Outside the girls waited. II
seemed hours. Fire at last broke
out of the back windows stimuli
taneousIy with the sound of break
ing glass. and huge pillows of re.
leased black smoke surged out
from the new outlet. Louise
started forward. She never knew
afterward just what she meant to
do, but she sprang away from
Mary's encircling arm and ran ur
the little flight of steps leading
to the door from which she had
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