The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1916-09-07
Continued From Our last issuc)
CHAPTER X.
Flrei

4 HAAhAkhAH ~ AAAAA'A iANN'
- window castings IN the hotel
80 that people turned uneaslly It
their beds.
Louise was awakened by n sud
den shrek OF wind that swept thru
the slight aperture left by th,
raised window and sent somethins
crashing 10 the floor She lay fol
"a moment drowsily wondering whai
had fallen. Tho next thing OF
which she was conscious. Mary wal
shaking her exeitedly.
What IL it," she asked. siecpily
Louise, There's a fire some
where Listen''
Some one rushed quickly thru
the hall: others followed. knocking
against the walls in the darkness
The girls sprang TO tho floor. The
thought had found swift Judgment
In the mind OF each that the hotel
was on fire. and In that momen,
Louise thought of tho poisoned
meat that had once been served e
some arch.enemles OF the gang
whose chief was now on trial for
his liberty. So quickly does the
brain work under stress OF great
crises. that. even before she had
her shoes and stockinxa on. shc
found herself wondering who wa
the marked victim this time. Not
Williston-he was dead. Not Cor.
con--he slept In his own room back
OF the office. Not Iangford- he
vas bunking with his friend In that
same room. Jim Munsonf or was
the Judge the prescribed oneg lie
could not be bought. II might be
he. Mary had gone TO tho window
"Louisel" she gaspcd. The
court house"
"My note hooksl- cried Louise. In
a flash OF comprehension. She
dressed hastily. Shirt.waist was
too intricate. 10 she threw on q
Japanese kimono. her Jacket and
walking skirt concealed the llmita.
lions OF her attire.
They FASTENED out into the hall.
way. down the stairs Out into the
bleak and windy night.
"itll burn like paper In this
wind" some one cried, ms a bunch
OF men hurried past them. The
words were literally whipped. out OF
his mouth. Wont save q thing. {"
Flames werc bursting out OF the
front windows upstairs. The sky
was all allgh; Sparks were tossed
madly southwark by tho wind
There was grave danger for build.
ings other than the one already
doomed The roar ~ the wind and
the flames was weil.uigh deafening.
The back windows and stairs seem.
ed clear
Hurry. Mary. hurry" cried
Louise. above tho roar. and pressed
forward. stumbling and gasping for
the breath that tho Wild wind Gov.
-ted.
As tho girls cams within tho
crowded circle OF Hight they over.
heard something OF q gallant At.
tempt on tho part OF somebody 20
save tho county rccords--they did
not hear whether or not tho attenp,
had been successful. They made
their way to the rear II was still
dark.
"LouIsel What ar, Tou going 10
io7" cried Mary. in CONSERVATION.
There were few peopl. on this side.
Louise put her hand deliberately to
tho door knob. II gave TO her
pressure door swung open
Some ono stumbled out biindiy, and
leaned against tho vail for mo
mcnt. his hands over his eyes.
Il can't do H." he said. aloud. Il
can't reach tho vaults"
Louise slipped past him and was
within the doorway. closely fol
lowed by the frantic Mary.
The man cried out sharply. and
stretched out n OBTAINING hand.
Are you crazy7 Come back"
mfr. Gordon" cried Louise, with
a little sob OF relief. lis II really
your Let mo go-quick-my note
booksl"
A thick cloud Of smoke at that
moment came rolling down the
back stairs. The man. throwing az
arm over tho. shoulders OF tho slcn.
der girl who had started up after
tho first shock Of tho smoke had
passed away. pushed her gently but
firmly outside.
Don't let her come. Mary" he
called back. clearly. "rll get the
note books--lf | can" Then he was
gone-up the smoke.wreathed stair.
way.
Outside the girls waited. II
seemed hours. Fire at last broke
out OF the back windows simulta
neously with tho sound OF breaking
glass. and huge pillows OF released
black smoke surged ont from the
new outlet. Louise started forward
She never knew afterward Just
what she meant to do. but she
sprang away from Msry's encircllng
arm and ran up the little flight OF
steps leading 10 the door from
which she had been so uncere.
moniously thrust.
Afterward. when they told hcr
she realized what her impulsive
action meant. but now she did not
think. She was only conscious OF
some Wild. vague impulse TO fly 10
the help OF the man who would
even now be safe IN blessed out.
doors had II not been for her and
her foolish woman's within. The
wind had slammed the door shut.
She wrenched II open. TIE clouds
OF smoke that met her, rolling out
OF their imprisonment like pent.up
steam, choked her. blinded her. beat
her back. She strove impotently
against II. Now Mary had firm
hold OF her and would not let her
go. She struggled desperately and
tried TO push her off. but valnly, for
Mary had twice her strength.
MARY. ] shall never forgive
YOU"
She did not finish her sentence,
for at that moment Gordon stag.
gered out into tho air. He sat
Il 81