The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-10-06

der without some
49,, ua.ssr, r,rnay objection.
-''- swell, they can
wait. Now, don't strike any matches.
Get me that big pan you use for the
starch"
In the bathroom Helen emptied the
whole half gallon Of gasoline into the
starch pan and dipped into it her chif-
fon waist.
The flmy material wilted down as
1t soaked up the fluid. Her hands in
rubber gloves, she swished 1T around,
held it up to drain, and pinned 1t to
the shade before the open window.
After dipping lace collar and the
net yoke and sleeves of her gray tat
feta, the gasoline was still clear
enough for something else. While she
was at it, she would clean those pink
satin slippers.
Even with the open window, the
Supplying fumes were now sickening-
ly strong. Hastily, with held breath,
she immersed the slippers, brushing
them with soft nailbrush.
The soiled gasoline she always
saved to use again after it had cleared
by standing, but now, too dizzy to
pour 1t back into the small-mouthed
bottle, she emptied 1t out into the
washbasin. Then, escaping from the
bathroom, she closed the door on the
sitting fumes.
"Here, Dora" as she took the starch
pan out to the kitchen, wash this ou'
we'll. This gasoline bottles empty
I'll put it here on the lower shelf. Bt
careful not to use it for anything else.'
When, little later, she went baci
to the bathroom, the waist, except To-
the thicker parts around the neck ant
tifuily $was almgd She sd Ut rsEYf f rbea en-
cleaners, they would have charged S
and done it no better.
.. 1t was now after three, and she wa
, anxious for the things to dry quickl,
, so there would be no traces of 0do
when Warren came home.
He had repeatedly forbidden her t
use gasoline, insisting that he woul,
pay any amount Of cleaners bills rath
!. err than have her take chances witt
this infiammable fluid.
; The dress on the towel rack she re
t arranged so the air could get to tn
. yoke and sleeves, but the slippers OF
! the stone ledge outside the windoy
. were still quite wet.
5 She had just examined one and Sc
= 1t back when lighted cigar but
. tossed from a window above, fel
/ straight into the pink satin toe.
4 A sizzling flash and the gasoline
Q soaked slipper was afiame. For sec
8 ond Helen stood petrified. Then, jerk
c ing up long-handled bath brush, sh
\ thrust 1t off the ledge. But 1t was to
} late! The blaze had leaped to tn
8 thin lace waist.
9 Screaming for Dora, she hurled tn
Q waist into the bath tub and turned o
. the water. But now the dress ha
caught and the flames were leaping u
Q the tiled wall.
Dora, bursting open the door, stare
q panic-stricken, then rushed bac
y shrieking: 'Firel Fire"
The water, now filing the tub, e.
9 tinguished the waist; but the dress
. which hung on the towel rack, wa
o still ablaze. Frantically Helen tried
. poke 1t down into the tub with til
$ long-handled brush. Then, reachin
over to turn on the shower, the fame
caught the lace Of her kimono sleev
saturated with the gasoline fumes.
She might easily have smothered
), with the heavy bath mat, but nov
i. paralyzed with terror, she ran Wild
q out, too frightened even to screar
a Blindly she dashed through the ha
4 door that Dora had left open.
. After that everything was a dazt
i blur. The draughty elevator sha
1 famed the flaming sleeve as she fie
" stumblingly. down the encircling stat
r. way. Excited voices, rushing feet ar
4. Dora's still piercing shrieks of Sire
n. Someone caught her. Somethir
d heavy was thrown about her. I'll
&. rest blurred into oblivion.
~
,e "I've sent for her husband" 1t VIZ
IN a woman's voice, lowered to discre,
at whisper.
T. "She'll soon be all right" a man
N voice, deep and restful
b. For several moments after the Co
seriousness Of the voices, Helen, sti
cIinging to the sheltering darkness
kept her eyes closed.
TX A sharp pain In her shoulder. Som
one WIS bandaging her arm. Then 81
lg realized that the man bending over b.
se was Doctor Marden, whose Office WI