The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1916-02-11

between the two; he went quite long
way. In his breast was the first touch
of panic.
Wherever he went the fire found
him out and drove him on. A strong
wind had risen, and as the flames win
moved their way down the mountain
side and across they found more and
larger stuff to feed on.
Professor Stilliter got hurts every
now and then. His hands and knees
were lacerated, his face had had some
hard knocks. His blind eyes smarted
with smoke and the air which he
breathed half choked him.
To a man with average sight it
would have been an easy matter to
| have eluded that fire. 1t had descend
ed the mountain in narrow path.
| 1t was Professor Stilliter's misfortune
| that he had been unable to sidestep it.
/ BY taking up his original stand at the
! back OF the hut, instead of at the front,
he need not have moved until help
came.
Even now old man Smellsgood was
standing at a comfortable distance
from the red-hot ruins Of the hut and
wondering what fool had set it on fire
and why.
Through the forest itself the fire
was only burning a broad path, con-
fined to this by open barrens and
swamps or by timber too green and
we'll watered to burn. From the mouth
of the cave it looked like a receding
column of smoke, and there was no
real menace in it for anyone but Pro-
| fessor Stilliter Him it bounded on
and on. And now, continually, like a
child that babbles, he was asking God
to save him, Christ to pity him.
AS he lost blood his progress be-
came slower and slower, and death
stared him in the back. He was to
have one short reprieve. He came to
a gravelly bank - steep that in try
| ing to get down it he began TO slide,
could not save himself and was dumped
presently into the ice cold deep water.
For a moment the shock refreshed
and invigorated him and gave him
hope He could swim, and water can
not burn Whether he was in a pond
or a lake of some size he did not know.
II a lake and not very large. he could
swim across and at least find safety
from the fire. At first it was easy to
swim in the right direction, guided by
the heat that came from behind, but
after awhile it was not so easy.
He was a good swimmer, and while
floating and treading water he man
aged to get rid of his shoes and most
OF his clothes He would need them
when he got ashore. Yes, but he
would have to do without them.
He began to tire again, and there
was no sign of the opposite shore.
He was in one of the narrowest
lakes in that part of the Adirondacks,
but it was several miles long and he
was trying to swim it from end to end.
The jig was up.
When he realized this he fastened
the inevitable by screaming and
screaming and then by bursting into
tears and sobbing.
After a while his final struggles
stopped. He foated in the water with
his face under; a kind OF foam came
10 the surface from the corners of his
mouth. Twice he drew up his knees
and kicked feebly, as If he we're still
alive and trying to swim.
After a long time Freddie the Fer
rett, leading Celestia as If she had
been blind, blundered to the foot Of
the cliff in which was the main en-
trance to the cave. Into this he pene-
trated a little way and there began to
shout for Tommy with all his might.
The only response was the echoing or
his voice.
SO Freddie went back to Celestia,
and there she stood with bewildered,
puzzled look on her face. and both her
hands being held by Tommy Barclay
himself, who was breathing as II he
had been running up hill.
Don't look puzzled now, Celestia,
Tommy was saying, you know me.
It's all right. I'm the driver. you
know, and you have to obey the driver.
SO wake up. Be yourself.
Then Celesua spoke.
THE driver" she said, is dead.
Professor Sulliter told me-
Told you | was dead"
Celestia nodded and turned away as
if the matter was Of no further inter
est.
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