Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-10-19


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 it up to drain. and pinned it to
the shade before the open window.
After dipping a lace collar and the
net yoke and sleeves of her gray taft
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 sOled gasoline she always
saved to use again after it had cleared
by standing. but now, too dizzy to
pour it 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
well. This gasoline bottles empty
I'll put it here on the lower shelf. Be
careful not to use it 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 it to the
cleaners. they would have charged So
and done it 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.
err 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 or
the stone ledge outside the window
were still quite wet.
She had just examined one and SCI
1t back when lighted cigar butt
! tossed from window above, fell
straight into the pink satin toe.
A sizzling flash and the gasoline
soaked slipper was afame. For sec
ond Helen stood petrified. Then. jerk
ing up Il long-handled bath brush, sh,
thrust 1t off the ledge. But it was too
late, The blaze had leaped to the
| thin lace waist.
Screaming for Dora, she hurled thu
waist into the bath tub and turned OF
the water. But now the dress hat
! caught and the flames were leaping VI
the tiled wall.
Dora. bursting open the door, staret
panic-stricken, then rushed bacl
shrieking: "Fire! Fire!"
The water. now filling the tub, ex
tinguished the waist; but the dress
which hung on the towel rack. wa
still abaze. Frantically Helen tried t.
poke it down into the tub with tn
long-handled brush. Then, reaching
over to turn on the shower, the flame
caught the lace of her kimonO sleeve
/ hn
She might easily have smothered |
with the heavy bath mat, but now
paralyZed with terror. she ran wildl
out. too frightened even to scream
Blindly she dashed through the hal
door that Dora had left open.
After that everything was a daze
blur. The draughty elevator shat
famed the flaming sleeve as she fey
stumblingly down the encircling stall
way. Excited voices. rushing feet an
Dora's still piercing shrleks of Fire
Someone caught her. Somethin
heavy was thrown about her. Tn
rest blurred into oblivion.
"rve sent for her husband" it wa
q wOman's voice, lowered to a discret
whisper.
"She'll soon be all right" man
voice, deep and restful.
For several moments after the col
seriousness of the voices, Helen. sti
clinging TO the sheltering darkness
kept her eyes closed.
A sharp pain in her shoulder. SOM
one was bandaging her arm. Then sh
realized that the man bending over he
was Doctor Marden, whose Office we
on the first floor.
You're all right now" reassuringl
as he met her bewildered gaze. "Drin
a little of this" raising her head
, the glass.
Dropping back on the pillow, 81
saw Dora and Mr.. Thompson, the
superintendent, at the foot of the be
Standing Just back of the doctor VS.
Mrs. Reed, who had an apartment I
the floor below.
Still dazed, Helen again sOugl
refuge in the protective darkness
I closed eyelids. The heavy odor
, iodofOrm added to her sense of strang
ness. Her mind was struggling
bring order and clearness from h
chaotic thoughts.
2 She heard Mr.. Thompson murm1
D something to the doctor and dpt'
] heavily from the room. Then the tel