u weren't coming, and I was
about to close the office and go home."

"You must blame the bargain sales for my delay," laughed Mary. "I hope
I haven't kept you waiting."

"No, I still had a few things to do. One was to write a letter to your
Uncle Jasper, telling him I had heard of another fire trap that was
open to investors."

"Oh, and that reminds me I must tell you not to push Uncle Jasper too
far!" warned Mary.

"Ha! Ha!" laughed Uncle Barton. "He made fun of me for going on the
undersea search with Tom Swift. But I made good on that, and that's
more than he can say about his Landmark Building deal!"

"But don't exasperate him too much!" begged Mary. "By the way, what are
they doing to this building? I see the stairways and some of the
elevator shafts all littered with building material."

"They are trying to make it fireproof," answered her uncle. "It's
rather late to try that now, but they've got either to do it or stand a
big increase in insurance rates. I'm glad I'm out of it. But now, Mary,
take an easy chair until I finish some work, and then I'll walk out
with you."

Mary took a seat near one of the front windows, whence she could look
down into the now fast-darkening streets. She could see the supper
crowds hurrying home, and out in the corridor of the big skyscraper
could be heard the banging of elevator doors as the office tenants, one
after another, left for the day.

Suddenly there was more commotion than usual, followed by the sound of
broken glass. Then came a cry of:

"Fire! Fire!"

Mary sprang to her feet with a gasp of alarm, and her uncle rushed past
her to the door leading into the hall outside his offices. As he opened
the door a cloud of smoke rushed toward him and Mary, causing them to
choke and gasp.

Mr. Keith closed the door a moment, and when he opened it again the
smoke in the hall seemed less dense.

"It probably is only a slight blaze among some of the material the
workmen are using," he said. "Come, Mary, we'll get out."

Pausing only to swing shut the door of his heavy safe and to stuff some
valuable papers into his pocket, Mr. Keith advanced and, taking Mary by
the arm, led her into the hall. The smoke was increasing again, and
distant shouts and cries could be heard, mingled with the breaking of
glass.

Mr. Keith rang the elevator buzzer several times, but when no car came
up the shaft in response to his summons he turned to his niece and said:

"We'll try the