登陆注册
15678700000043

第43章

TO THE RESCUE

"Uncle! Uncle Barton!" faltered Mary, as she clung to Mr.Keith."Can't we get down the stairs?""I'm afraid not, Mary," he answered, and he closed the door of his office to keep out the smoke that was ever increasing.

"And won't the elevators come for us?"

"They don't seem able to get up," was his reply."Probably the fire started in the bottom of the shafts, and they act just like flues, drawing up the flames and smoke.""Then we must try the fire escapes!" exclaimed Mary, and she started toward the front window, pulling her uncle across the room after her.

"Mary, there aren't--aren't any fire escapes!" he said hoarsely."No fire escapes!" The girl turned paler than before.

"No, not an escape as far as I know.You see, this was thought to be a fireproof building at first and small attention was given to escapes.Then the law stepped in and the owners were ordered to put up regular escapes.They have started the work, but just now the old escapes have been torn down and the new ones are not yet in place.""Oh, but Uncle Barton! can't we do something?" cried Mary."There must be some way out! Let's try the elevators again, or the stairs!"Before Mr.Keith could stop her Mary had opened the door into the hall.To the agreeable surprise of her uncle there seemed to be less smoke now.

"We may have a chance!" he cried, and he rushed out."Hurry!"Frantically he pushed the button that summoned the elevators.Down below, in the elevator shafts, could be heard the roar and crackle of flames.

"Let's try the stairs!" suggested Mary."They seem to be free now."She started down the staircase which went in square turns about the battery of elevators, and her uncle followed.But they had not more than reached the first landing when a roll of black, choking smoke, mingled with sparks of fire, surged into their faces.

"Back, Mary! Back!" cried Mr.Keith, and he dragged the impetuous girl with him to their own corridor, and back into his offices which, for the time being, were comparatively free from the choking vapor.

"We must try the windows, Uncle Barton! We must!" cried Mary."Surely there is some way down--maybe by dropping from ledge to ledge!"Her uncle shook his head.Then he opened the window and looked out.As he did so there arose from the streets below the cries of many voices, mingled with the various sounds of fire apparatus -- the whistles of engines, the clang of gongs, and the puffing of steamers.

"The firemen are here! They'll save us!" cried Mary, as she heard the noises in the street below."We can leap into the life nets.""There isn't a life net made, nor men who could retain it, to hold up a person jumping from the tenth story," said her uncle."Our only chance is to wait for them to subdue the fire.""Isn't there a back way down, Uncle Barton?" "No, Mary!" He closed the window for, open as it was, the draft created served to suck smoke into the office, and Mary was coughing.

Uncle and niece faced each other.Trapped indeed they were, unless the fire, which was now raging all through the building, with the stairs and elevator shafts as a center.could be subdued.That the city fire department was doing its best was not to be doubted.

"We can only wait--and hope," said Mr.Keith solemnly.

Mary gave a gasp.Her uncle thought she was going to burst into tears, but she bravely conquered herself and faced him with what was meant to be a smile.But it is difficult to smile with quivering lips, and Mary soon gave up the attempt.

Mr.Keith went over to the water cooler--one of those inverted large glass bottles--and looked to see how much water it contained.

"It's nearly full," he said.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 东轩笔录

    东轩笔录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 种马肇猴

    种马肇猴

    人生的快乐莫过于我们知道了自己的将来会比现在好。
  • 白衣修罗:玥

    白衣修罗:玥

    十世轮回,被最爱的人杀死。一朝穿越,她不在相信任何人,直到遇到他。。。(米娜桑表吐槽,偶只素个小学生。。。)加我QQ:2513868191
  • 霹雳易筋经

    霹雳易筋经

    宋室衰败,蒙古人入主中原,宋朝丞相文天祥密建万象真藏,留待后人,光复汉统。明朝开国功臣刘伯温曾为朱元璋寻得万象真藏,却隐而不报,招致朱元璋忌恨,惹来杀身之祸,临死留四句真言予后世:“万象现,山海临;灭世劫,神脉破!”2016年,天下科技集团为寻万象真藏线索进行时空实验,中途却遭日本人破坏,导致实验失败,更无意中把元初的三个古代人带到了现代……
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 金牌特工之重生归来

    金牌特工之重生归来

    楚七这个温柔,冰冷的人最后又遇上了腹黑,毒舌的霸道总裁南宫睿,在初见的时候楚七不怕他,让南宫睿很不爽,处处找楚七的麻烦,最后又和楚七做了好兄弟,然而,他却发现,她竟然是女生,惭惭的对这个楚七有了兴趣,到最后的喜欢。情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 闪婚蜜爱99日:娇妻你好甜

    闪婚蜜爱99日:娇妻你好甜

    在所有人眼里,顾笙是走了狗屎运才得以嫁给秦九,但真正的内幕只有她自己最清楚。她哪里是走了狗屎运,她分明就是踩在了狗屎上!都说外表俊逸年轻有为的秦九是她的良人,可实际呢?只有她自己知道,秦九是因为她白目才娶回家
  • 再来一次青春

    再来一次青春

    那年我们逝去的青春去了哪里?何处去寻觅?青春中,有欢乐,有惊喜,有离愁......就让我们再进行一次青春的历练吧!危险,怀疑和否定之海,围绕着人们小小的岛屿,而信念则鞭策人,使人勇敢面对未知的前途。我再也不会放弃,只为追上你那飞快的脚步。看着那欲下的夕阳,我不禁茫然。
  • 樱花树下的允诺

    樱花树下的允诺

    樱花树下的契约,能否遵守承诺?五年的离别,希望我们勿忘初心!