The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-10

.eWs but 70 INA the mine at Whleh
no also had some knowledge
Ia the same sweep Of raaliIa.
ton he knew why Harold Iauna-
bpry's face had always haunted
him and flled him With hay, un.
certain memories.
Harold Lounsbury was Ruthe-
fard's sen-the son Of his fathers
murdered. Kenly Lounshury was
RutheTterd's brother.
All at once the smoke from the
fire began 70 pour In upon him,
choking his lungs and filling his
eyes with tears.
XVII
For a moment Bill gave little
attention to the deepening clouds
Of pengent, biting wood smoke
that the wind, suddenly shifting.
whipped In through the hole he
had cut in the door,
This was the most bitter mo
$ment Of his life and he was lost
and remote in his dark broodings,
The smoke didn't matter.
The fight for life no longer
seemed worth while.
The gmoke deepened IN the cab
In. 1t seemed to be affecting his
power to stand erect He tried to
think Of some way to save him.
self; his mind was slow and dull.
He knew that he couldn't get
out of the cabin.
There was only a little hole In
the door; to crawl through 1t. inch
by Inch as he had entered, would
subject him to the full fury OF the
flames.
Meanwhile the fire burned high
er. The wind blew the clouds of
smoke from the green wood
through the hole as II It were high
pressure steam.
1t soon was impossible for Bill
TO see-to even hold his eyes open.
the cruel smoke tortured them SO.
II ever a man were caught in a
terrible trap ot his own making
that man was Bill Bronson.
His az! With his ak he could
chop the door away! His hand
at bis belt. But he re.
membored now; he had left his
ak outside the cabin, its blade
thrust into the spruce log that had
supplied his fuel.
Suddenly he saw himself face
to face with seemingly certain
death. The smoke clouds were
swiftly and surely stTangling him.
Already his consciousness was de-
parting. He leaped for the ope-
ming again and fell sprawling on
the dirt floor. He started 10 spring
up
But he suddenly grew inert
breathing deeply. There was still
air close to the ground, Strange
he hadn't thought Of It before.
just to lie still, face close to the
dirt. 1t panied him to breathe; his
eyes throbbed and burned but at
least 1t was life. Then all was con.
fused-obltvion.
When Bill Weakened again, the
last pale glimmer OF the lighted
smoke was gone.
The fire had evidently burned
down and out.
His fumbling hands encountered
the log walls; then he CROPPED about
till he found the plank door. His
hands smarted but their sense Of
touch did not seem blpnted
He had never known a darker
night
His muscles were more at his
command now; with a great lurch
he sprang up and thrust head and
shoulders through the hole in the
door.
The hot ashes punished his face
and his hands encountered hot
Goals as he thrust them through,
Yet with q mighty effort he pushed
on until his wrists touched the Icy
snow. He knew that he was safe,
He stood erect. scarcely beltev-
ing IN his deliverancs.
The wind still blew the snow
dust-a singing lash from the
north and west
1t was curious that a cloudy
night could be so cold. Yet he
could not see the CLEAN OF a star.
The Goals Of tho fire, too, were
smothered and obscured In ashes.
He stepped toward them, intend.
ing TO rake them up for such heat
as they could yield.
Presently he halted, gazing with
fascinated horror at the ground.
He was suddenly struck with a
CHASTITY and terrible possibility,
His hand CROPPED for d match.
He heard It crack in the silence
but evidently it was a dud! The
darkness before his eyes remained
unbroken.
Filled with a sick fear. he re-,
moved his glove and passed his
hand over upheld match. Therewas
no longer a possibility for doubt,
The tiny flame smarted his flesh.
Blind" he cried. "out here in
the snow and tho torest-blind!"
It was true. The pungent wood
smoke had done a cruel work.
Continued In Our Next Issue)
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