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Page 55
"If you can wait that long we shall be charmed to have your company,"
Tom assured him as the young engineers stepped inside.
Frank Danes half started as they left him.
"Reade's tone sounded a bit peculiar," muttered the newcomer to himself.
"I wonder why? Perhaps I have forced myself a little too much upon him
and Reade has taken a dislike to me."
If Tom had taken a dislike to the newcomer, Danes could not be sure of
it from the young chief engineer's manner at table. Harry Hazelton,
too, was almost gracious during the meal.
"They're a pair of half-smart, half-simple boobs," decided Danes, as he
smoked a cigar alone after dinner.
"Tom, I think your great intellect has gone astray for once," remarked
Hazelton, in the privacy of their room upstairs.
"I never knew that I had any great intellect," Reade laughed. "However,
I was born to be suspicious once in a while. I suppose you were
referring to Frank Danes."
"Yes; and he appears to be a mighty decent fellow."
"I'm sure I hope he is," yawned Tom. "I'm willing to give him the
benefit of the doubt. I'm going to bed, Harry. What do you say?"
Hazelton was agreeable. Within twenty minutes both young engineers were
sound asleep.
It was after midnight when cries of "fire!" from the street aroused
them.
Tom Reade threw open the door to be greeted by a cloud of stifling
smoke.
"Hustle, Harry!" he gasped, making a rush to get into his clothing. "We
can get out, I think, but we haven't any time to spare. This old trap
is ablaze. It won't last many minutes!"
Trained in the alarms and the hurries of camp life, the young engineers
all but sprang into their clothes.
"Come on, Harry!" urged Tom, throwing open the door. "We can make it."
They started, when, from the floor above, a woman's frantic appeals for
help reached them. Children's cries were added to hers.
"Get to the street, Harry!" shouted Tom. "I'm going upstairs. There'd
be no satisfaction for me in reaching the street if I abandoned that
woman and her babies to their fate. One of us can do the job as well as
two!"
CHAPTER XVI
DANES SHIVERS ON A HOT NIGHT
Almost immediately after the cries of "fire" the bell at the fire
station pealed out.
Paloma's volunteer fire department turned out quickly, running to the
scene with a hand engine, two hose reels and a ladder truck.
By this time, however, the whole of Paloma appeared to be lighted up
with the brisk blaze. Tongues of flame shot skyward from the burning
hotel, while small blazing embers dropped freely into the street.
"Is everyone out? Everyone safe? Anyone missing?" panted Carter, the
young proprietor of the Cactus House.
The disturbed guests ranged themselves about Carter, who looked them
over swiftly.
"Where are Mrs. Gerry and her two babies?" demanded the hotel man, his
cheeks blanching.
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