Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1936-09-26


of eight came running across the tut
ting dock They donned their rubber
coats and boots and cleared the Spuy.
ten Duyv1 for war.
: The burning ship was q rusty Dutch
man, light Of cargo, riding high. Tne
) fire spread rapidly, helped by a wind
which swept It forward toward the
bridge.
Pull alongside" the lieutenant or
dered
A hook ladder grappled the tramp
ships scupper and he climbed up q
reconnoster. Jimmie followed him
aboard.
When he reached the deck he had
q glimpse Of 3 bury officer shaking
his fist. he was roaring, enraged, af
q squat little man, but the words were
alien to Jimmie Laurie.
Near him some one was coughing
harshly. A girl lay doubled up on the
deck, overcome by the smoke she had
breathed. The first thing about her
that Jimmie noticed was e heavy cllls-
ter Of dark red curlg. Beside her, Rruggy
but loyal still, little terrier pup
stood guard.
Get her out OF here, Jimmie, !"
snapped the lieutenant.
He was proficient at carrying people
At fire school he had picked up a man,
lying inert as II unconscious, had
slung him deity over his shoulder and
packed him down a three-length lad
der
But never had Jimmie carried a
woman, young and attractive. For she
was pretty. He saw this the moment
he grasped her arms, and his pulse
beat Just little faster. Her eyes we're
brown. Her nose Was pert and lightly
freckled. Seeing his helmet, she tried
to smile, her teeth flashing white be-
tween her lips. The dog was barking
furiously and making feeble sorties at
him.
"Just take it easy. III carry you
down"
She remembered the pup and clutch
ed it to her. She had been nearly stifled
with smoke while searching for it in
side the ship.
Jimmie Strengthened and clutched
the ladder She was small and light
not over 100 pounds, he guessed-and, /
despite the odor Of burning tar, he
could smell the fragrant breath Of per-
fume Jimmie carried her gingerly, as |
If she were made of fragile china.
Jimmie placed the girl on a couch /
in the cabin under the pilot house. He /
got her some water, supporting her,
his arm about her, while she drank it.
THANK you" she said with the hint
of an accent.
Jimmie stood for a wavering mo-
ment staring down at the girl on the
couch. She looked 50 small and neat
and prettyI He tried to think OF some
thing to do. But all she needed, he
knew, was rest, and he could not do
her breathing for her.
81 guess I'll be going now" he an
Awkwardly, then, he DOTTED
his helmet. You'll feel all right in q
little while. Got to get at that fire,
he blurted
Outside, on the tough steel deck. Of
5he boat, Jimmie halted as If bewD-
1ered. He had never felt like this be-
lore. Dark red hair and smiling lips,
pert little nose DELIGHTFULLY."- frecklea,
IN arnful Of girl hanging over his
a delicate fragrance haunt
ng his noStrilS
Damn her, she was no load at all.
Why, damn her, just as easy as moth
ngi''
He raced up the ladder, his pulse
till pounding. He felt the need Of
desperate action. Where was that fire?
led get at the flames and cut their
,lazing heart out for them. He'd-it
vas something vaguely felt-he'd take
Ter their heart as a little trophy.
BY the time Jimmie got down with
hose the cargo decks, all made OF
yood, were a mass Of raging, spread
az flames. The air was rank with
rnoke and bilge-yet, somehow, Jim
lie still could smell the heady frag-
ance of perfume.
Now the streams Of water were max
lg progress. The fire was beginning 70
)Se its grip. Alert to follow any ad-
antage. Jimmie pushed deeper into
he hold.
Then a blazing girder snapped above
Inn. He tried TO retreat but tripped on
brace. The nozzle wreuched itself
ON his hands. It was like wildcat
lad with fury leaping at him, smash
Ig his helmet, hammering down on
mmie's skull
gare Of fires and alarms, Of dark red
air, Of haunting fragrance or freckled
1se. The Dutchman, bruised and black
Id silent, rode at its anchor chain
one, and the Spuyten Duyvl was
I'd TO its dock.
The following day the damaged tramp
rs towed to a yard on the Harlem
yer. BY that time Jimmie felt strong
lough TO sit up in bed and look at
There's some pictures OF the fire"
i'd the nurse, land nice little write
all about you"
Jimmie blinked and suddenly stiff
ned. He could feel the color flood
2 his cheeks and even spreading
1ng his neck. Her face was smiling
{ from the page, and beneath 10 In
eeyy tabloid style there was q cap
n which made him tingie:
HERE Is THE WAY she looked
when a Daily Mail reporter told
Miss Elsie Graafholz that her
nero's injuries were not serious.
Shortly after Fireman James LAu-
lie had borne her from the burn
ng ship he was carried unconscious
Town the same ladder. She nInsed
linn till the doctors came. BY the
way, young Laurie is bachelori
Ills heart beat faster and wonder
ed him Her hands had been busy
ng for him. She had bent over him
the cabin-and he hadn't even been
are she was near!
.ater Miss Paynter called to see him.
is time Jimmie could not run away.
the newspaper woman was very
tful. She did not tease him about