The Ordway new era., 1917-09-28

Mabel Herbert urnss 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 filmy material wilted down as
1t soaked up the fluid. Her hands in
rubber gloves, she swished 1t around,
held 1t 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 taf-
feta. the gasoline was still clear
enough for something else. While she
was at 1t, she would clean those pink
satin slippers.
Even with the open window, the
stupefying 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. it 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 out
we'll. This gasoline bottles empty
I'll put 1t here on the lower shell. Be
careful not to use 1t for anything else"
When, little later, she went back
to the bathroom, the waist, except for
the thicker parts around the neck and
sleeves, was almost dry. 1t was beau
tifully white. Had she sent i'll to the
cleaners, they would have charged 81
and done 1t no better.
1t was now after three, and she was
anxious for the things to dry quickly
so there would be no traces of odor
when Warren came home.
He had repeatedly forbidden her to
use gasoline, insisting that he would
pay any amount Of cleaners bills rath-
er than have her take chances with
this inflammable fluid.
The dress on the towel rack she re-
arranged. so the air could get to the
yoke and sleeves, but the slippers on
the stone ledge outside the window
were still quite wet.
She had just examined one and set
1t back when lighted cigar butt,
tossed from window above, fell
straight into the pink satin toe.
tho Oocn1tno.
soaked slipper was afiame. For sec
ond Helen stood petrifled. Then. jerk
ing up long-handled bath brush, she
thrust 1t off the ledge. But it was too
late! The blaze had leaped to the
thin lace waist.
Screaming for Dora. she hurled the
waist into the bath tub and turned on
the water. But now the dress had
caught and the flames were leaping up
the tiled wall.
Dora, bursting open the door, stared
panic-stricken, then rushed back
shrieking: "Firel Fire!"
The water, now filling the tub. ex-
tinguished the waist; but the dress.
which hung on the towel rack. was
still ablaze. Frantically Helen tried to
poke it down into the tub with the
Iong-handled brush. Then, reaching
over to turn on the shower, the flames
caught the lace Of. her kimono sleeve,
saturated with the gasoline fumes.
She might easily have smothered 1t
with the heavy bath mat, but now,
paralyzed with terror, she ran wildly
out, too frightened even to scream.
Blindly she dashed through the hall
door that Dora had left open.
After that everything was a dazed
blur. The draughty elevator shaft
famed the flaming sleeve as she few
stumblingiy down the encircling stair
way, Excited voices, rushing feet and
Dora's still piercing shrieks OF "FireP
Someone caught her. Something
heavy was thrown about her. Tne
rest blurred into oblivion.
-
GIVE sent for her husband" It was
a woman's voice, lowered to . discreet
whisper.
voice, deep and restful.
For several moments after the con-
sciousness Of the voices, Helen, still
clinging to the sheltering darkness
kept her eyes closed.
A sharp pain in her shoulder: Some
one was bandaging her arm. Then sne
realized that the man bending over hef
was Doctor Mardsn, whose omce was
On the nrst floor.
I sYou,re ali right now reats ~
~ ~ met her bewild dsssd gn1es q 1xlnlSs s
z sl1ItIes sfutAl ~ ! ~ - 1.!.I H. ]