The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-07-26
CHAPTER XVI.
A Fire and = Raacua


~ HE journey back to Green's IL
land was uneventful. The sea
had Gained down enough SO
that we shipped very little wa
ter. When we landed l was thankful
to note that there were no lights in
the house. Apparently every one had
gone to bed for a much needed rest I
sent Bill up to get Glars clothing,
while l unloaded the supplies and hid
them under the dock. l expected to
telephone Jim In the morning and tell
him where they were so that he could
cook breakfast for the castawayAL
When Bill returned helped him put
out to sea again. This required consid-
cradle persuasion and So In money.
also had to promise to make 1t all
right with the newspaper man whom
he had brought over.
| Now the next adventure In this
Arabian nightmare occurred. At first
l thought 1t was the reflection of the
rising sun In the windows of the cot
tage which caused the red light, but
when l looked to the east l saw that
the sun was not up.
Then the house must be on fire!
Clearly had no time to lose. Proba-
bly, every one was sleeping. l ran up
the path from the beach to the house,
my temples bursting with the yexertion.
BY the time got to the front door the
flames were beginning to lick out Of
one Of the upstairs windows.
l threw myself against the front
door and broke the lock without cere-
mony. The stairway was still clear.
l dashed up, yelling, "Fire!"
The people began to come out in
various stages of undress, carrying
clothing and valuables. vida's stage
experience stood her In good stead.
She emerged from her room complete
ly dressed and went downstairs as IL
she were answering a rehearsal call.
All were accounted for but Lucille.
pounded on her door again and
again.
Hurry" l commanded at frequent
intervals
I'm hurrying." she always an
swered.
At last the smoke began to be I'M
bearable In the hallway, and the
cracking Of the flames warned me
that In an instant the stairs would be
impossible. l stood on ceremony no
longer. l threw open Lucile's door,
She was looking aimlessly about her,
with stocking in one hand.
II can't find my other stocking" she
announced calmly.
Don't be excited - shouted. 1.-THE
house is on fire, and we've got to get
out!''
I'm not excited. But how can es-
cape with only one stOcking?"
There was no time for argument.
grabbed a blanket that was flung over
the foot OF her bed, wrapped her III it
and swept her off her feet and into
my arms.
The rescue was very simple. There
was little smoke on the stairway,
and in a minute it would have been
hard to get down, but as 1t was only
had to hold my breath for few sec
onds and we were safe on the first
floor, which had not caught yet.
However, l carried Lucille clear out
in the front yard and deposited her in
the little group of scantily clad sur
| vivors.
where's the fire Department. ?"
asked Vida.
There isn't any fire department"
Kent volunteered gently.
Cant anything be done"
mot much now" / shrugged nv
shoulders. when q fire gets that
much Roadway in a country house
built Of wood there is nothing much
to do but save the nearby buildings"
How could it have caught?" asked
Bopp, trying to put his left shoe on his
right foot. He had carried them both
out In his hands.
"No one was up" said Jim, the Gre
man.
How did you come to be around,
Monty?" Bopp Strengthened up with
quick glance at me- Mrs. Green
telephoned that you were going to the
mainland"
1t hardly seemed possible, but knew
that for moment they all suspected
me of having set fire to Lucile's house
in revenge for our quarrel of the eve
ming before.
Il came back to the island for some
thing, and l noticed the fire." / ex-
planned weakly. The flames were
coming out of the window of the north
east ROOM"
who slept thereT Captain Perkins
asked practically.
No one answered
That's funny" Captain Perkins
was sarcastic. Didn't anybody sleep
in the northeast room. or don't you
know where yo,. slept?"
you slept there yourself" Jim ex-
planned, rather hesitant about calling
his superior officers attention to such q
damning fact
"Ohr' The captain collapsed. "a
guess l did"
where did you empty the ashes OF
your pipe before you went to get that
drink of water7" ! Intercepted.
ITO BE CONTINUEDl