Show lit awil the married life of helen and warren by MABEL originator of 1117 their heir married life author of the tha journal HERBERT HERBER VURNER URNER of aJ Neglected feThe Wl wife the woman alone etc A FIRE AND A BLACKENED EYE PROVIDE THE EXCITE MENT FOR AN EVENTFUL NIGHT att copyright 1317 1917 by the mcclure newspaper Newt paper syndicate its a telegram g rant I 1 quivered helen sitting huddled up in ili bed as Ny warren arron jerking on ills his bathrobe shuttled shuffled out to answer the 0 clamorous bor doorbell A midnight ring has always a startling ominous note of disaster accident death helen waltin waiting in Prent breathless liless suspense tried to visualize the brief baleful message within the dreaded yellow envelope the v sound of voices excited voices I 1 then heavy rushing feet through the hall past tho the bedroom and into tho the library it was wag not a iel telegram what did it mean what had happened snatching her dressing gown she sprang to the bloor but warren on entering pushed tier back with a brusque dont bo be frightened frighten edl I 1 its noth ing enuch you stay in hero here what Is it chos out there in shrill excitement one of our awni awnings figs afire hut but soon have it out now you stay here I 1 tell you lie ile rushed back slamming the door forbiddingly nut but helen gathering closer tier lier robe flow flew after him it was a terrifying scene tho the naming flaming bay window awning lit the room burning fragments fell crackling against tho the glass oh if the gla glas 3 breaks break sl I 1 screamed helen take down the curtains apparently neither warren nor the night watchman had thought of the curtains curtal ns for instantly they were up on the window sill snatching down the thin mull hangings hannings hang ings told you to stay in the bedroom I 1 roared warren as he pitched the curtains rods roas and all in n corner that ropes nitro afire P I 1 cried the watchman for the awning rope wrapped around the look hook was now how ablaze against the casement hold on n I 1 raise the window I 1 gotto got to smother that out before the woodwork catches warren threw ur up tile sash oh dear dont dont I 1 pleaded helen 11 clen trying to drag him from tile the open window through which poured clouds clonas of and a shower of sparks get me s something quick 1 A lioney towel do I 1 she flew out and wa was back with a bath mat terrified slie she hovered bear as lie smothered the blazing rope while the watchman vatch inan stamped out tho the menacing mend eing sparks that blew into the room oil oh your hands your hands she was tugging nt at warrens arm you keep out of this I 1 wrenching orf oft the mass of charr charred ed rope and slamming down the window the place was filled with smoke tut but outside the flames were dying lown blown the awning was almost burned out only a few shreds of smoldering canvas still clung to the iron fraine the fierce heat had cracked but not broken the gloss glass the watchman Vatch man rushed to answer another clamor of the bell it was the superintendent ills coat butt buttoned onri over avci ills his collarless shirt the sleep still la in his ey eyes and tumbled hair its about over warren informed bilm briefly with a a smoke clicked cough some idiot throw oa out a cig orette ninth floor grimly thais twite twice done tins this then ot at the sudden shriek of a fire engines engine that tool fool elevator evator cl boy turned in an alarm well have tile whole department up alere in a minute the screaming whistles now filled iho t ho midnight quiet the bedlam growing deafening its as they neared neared the aliouse then lonal sounds from the hall and a dozen firemen trooped lit in their heavy boots clattering ove over r the lard hardwood wood flo floors ors without even glancing at warren or tho the superintendent they swarmed about the window and toro out the sa illies nip out that cornice I 1 ll 11 ordered tile the chief on the top there where its burning I 1 with a degasta ting ox ar recklessly they chopped loose tile the heavy white molding the arcs all ddt adt I 1 oh ob they doing that quaver quavered ed 11 helen elen ruining tho wall 4 they linow what al about bout arzi bcd warren arran g trilling girdling closer his his bathrobe oil oh dont let them do that I 1 cant stop them jurging turning frantically to the superintendent well never match that paper no use my saying anything bcd mr air Th Thom bion you cant do anything with firemen gt get the extin i er makel llou tod tho the chief hf letic letter yo V ed leiis of the sp atte ing damage 41 they turned on oil tile extinguisher this was waa more than helen could stand forgetting tier her dishevel her tumbled hair and the alio nightgown flopping flapping about tier her bare ankles below her gee she rna ran over to the chief with a tremulous oil oh please dont let them splash that panel I 1 tho the whole roo tull have to be done over watch out for that panel mike then to helen this it tva tea party lady were here koput to put out the lire I 1 but there tiny any fire now coin batted helen under her breath as sho picked tier lier way over the alio debris standing by the side window sho could see tile the snorting engines below although it was wag after midnight tho street opposite was lined with people their upturned faces gleaming white la in the ho darkness dar kneis with gruff brevity tho the chief now ordered two men through all tile other apartments to examine the awnings and casements for any chance sparks if you cant get in break in binl I 1 lie shouted after them one of the fire patrol ans was now taking warrens name his office address and the amount of his insurance IN well I 1 ell come on boys all herel here I 1 Cla gathering up their tools the firemen stamped out as aa abruptly and impersonally as they had erne come when the door slammed after the last spiked boot helen dropped on thu the couch and stared at the wreckage its tin an outrage indignant they ought to bo be reported ported ie I 1 tearing down the whole place when the fire was out before they got here oil oh 1 well what youve got to expect from firemen growled warren not taking chances on having it break out again and right about that too but the walls and cel belling lingI 1 they have to wreck the whole place and oh look look th at this she started up to examine the scarred back of a n chair against w which aich a strip of molding had fallen the insurance covers till nil that ought to be mighty glad its no worse wo we got off pretty easy hello guess the phones ph onos out of commission picking up tile loosened wire then crossing to the instrument he tried to got get central but without success distracted by tile tho scattered debris helen had the broom and was trying to sweep it late into ft a vile pile under the win dow here do your tomorrow lets got get to lied bed 1 I must brush up this broken glass step in it it was after two before befaro they were finally in bed and even then too excited to sleep helen insisted on talking it over 10 the colling ll have to be done too well be torn up tor for days I 1 and oh ell I 1 forgot with added dismay were having the Steven ses for dinner thursday well it cant bo be helped I 1 you can insure against loss but not agal discomfort guess every things all likht elgh out there leaning out of bed warren opened the library door for a final assurance that no smoldering sparks had blazed forth then with vigorous force lie sw swung ung and shut the door thi full rebound of ills elbow hitting helen in the eye as she veered peered oyer over ills his shoulder for it a view of the wreckage speechless with pain she covered ferfnce her face and sank back oil kitten did I 1 hurt youa you know you were there A faint motin moan was her only answer lit ill real alarm warren sprang up anil and switched an on the lights right plump lit in the eye forcing tier her hands from tier her face jove that was a nasty punch wheres theres tile witch hazel drishing dashing into the bathroom lie ho camo came back with a n bottle a and nd absorbent cotton oil oh oll oh my noses bleeding faintly as lie ho lopped bopped tier her closed eyelid hows howls the iho eye in ili str strained alnea anai efy acty lets have a look at it leading her to the ligh t another half hour hoir of 0 anxious applications of witch hazel and cold cloths claths relieved tile the intense once more it they settled tiled down for the hie few hours that a f r remained c of otha tile night all right no now w iu kitten aten ilow how does it feel drawing her to him still hurt not so much then despairingly oil oh it wont bo be swollen or discolored 7 what hat it if it Is seeing the cf f tills this added catastrophe you fo 0 o mind a little thing like that give the neighbors something to talk about if K they thought I 1 beat you up occasionally chibe now lets try and get some SIC sleep ep A fire anre and a black eyo about enough for ono one night |