Some averred that it would be days before the smell could be got out of the house; others referred it to the fires in the woods, which were now dangerously near.

One spoke of the isolated position of the hotel as affording the greatest security, but was met by the assertion of a famous mountaineer that the forest fires were wont to leap from crest to crest mysteriously, without any apparent continuous contact.

This led to more or less light-hearted conjecture of present danger and some amusing stories of hotel fires and their ludicrous revelations.

There were also some entertaining speculations as to what they would do and what they would try to save in such an emergency.
"For myself," said Mrs.Barker audaciously, "I should certainly let Mr.
Barker look after Sta and confine myself entirely to getting away with my diamonds.

I know the wretch would never think of them." It was still later when, exhausted by the heat and some reaction from the excitement of the day, they at last deserted the veranda for their rooms, and for a while the shadowy bulk of the whole building was picked out with regularly spaced lights from its open windows, until now these finally faded and went out one by one.