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Show A WARRIOR BOLD. By ST. GEORGE RATBBORNE, AuthTof "LittU Mitt Milliont," "Tht SpidtrB Wti," ' .Dr. Jack'i Widow;" "Mist Capria," tc Owrtf hi. 1901. Street and Smith. New Yoxk. CHAPTER XIV. A Battle 01 Uiants. ome of the most frantic hovered at the windows, as though ready to plunge through space if the worst came. They were crazed for the. time being be-ing and could not be blamed. Many a precious life went out that fatal day, that might have been saved by the exercise of a little judgment and coolness; for of all the attributes which mortal man inherits or acquires ac-quires these prove the richest legacy i such a time of actual panic. nemy111 aIready Seating Macauley was drunk with the success suc-cess that had seemed to be already within his grasp. He thus could be taken off his guard, and once in retreat, complete rout must follow. So sudden was the attack, so overwhelming over-whelming in its resistless energy that the ogre fell back in confusion, hardly hard-ly knowing Just how to meet so strange a rally. And Stuart followed It up he knew full well that what was worth doing at all was worth doing well. He was bent on ending the struggle then and there in order to do so most effectively he let out still another an-other kink, and surprised his enemy with a succession of tricks that completed com-pleted his utter demoralization. - - It was the work of a gladiator. Charlie, Char-lie, having stunned the ogre with a multiplicity of short-arm blows, hurled hurl-ed him in a shuddering heap aside, and found himself once more free to go forward. it was as tfawtgh the man wished her to know the great love that was in his heart before they faced the dreadful ordeal which might be their destruction. As though he might thus seal his claim upon the woman he adored, even though together they were doomed to journey toward another an-other world. "Come! Have courage, my darling," he said. Probably few men on earth have been given so strange an opportunity to declare their love, and under such conditions who could envy Charlie Stuart " the brief spasm of delight which he experienced, for the first time he passed his arm about Arline'3 ' waist with a sense of proprietorship. Love is a strong, factor in the race the girl-might have been rendered frantic with fear had she found herself her-self alone face to face with the ; threatening destruction, but with his strong arm to lean upon, and the knowledge of his declared passion to sustain her, she could meet the dread issue with courage. And it required all the nerve she possessed to keep from screaming when once in the hall she saw the avalanche of roaring fire at the farth--er end. Charlie led her directly toward it, yet she trusted him implicitly it was a glorious symbol of the power he was to exercise in all time to .come, if so be they escaped w.ith their lives. The stairs at last. Another minute and it might have been too hazardous to attempt a descent de-scent but that small space of time has won kingdoms ere now. - Down one flight that much was saved them at any rate, even should the worst nappen. When they started upon the second descent, It was like running the gauntlet; fingers of fire stretched out yearningly toward them, and one even came so close that Arline involuntarily involuntar-ily uttered a scream, thinking Charlie, Char-lie, who had- thrust his body on that side, was doomed. This narrow escape told him that it would be utterly impossible to make any further use of the stairway in advancing their cause, since below it Having taken his bearings, and discovered which way- the numbers ran, Charlie started upon what he believed be-lieved was the last leg of his course. Now he must speedily realize the worst; if he came upon Arline's rooms and found them empty, he would-know would-know she was somewhere about the - intricate passages, lost and facing death, as when ne first found her. What a travesty of fate such a thing would be. Tragedies were being enacted within with-in those walls, that had many times echoed with the sounds of gayety, and now rang with shrieks; already the greedy fire fiend had cut off many from escape, and yearned to encompass encom-pass their destruction. Some doors were closed, but the majority stood gaping wide open, whence the terrified occupants had fled just as they were. In passing one of these Charlie had a glimpse of a lady, richly attired, bending over an open trunk, evidently seeking to lay hold of her precious jewel boxes ere flying. Mayhap they cost her what all the jewels from Cleopatra's day to this could not replace life. CHAPTER XV. When Charlie Kissed Her. J The flames had been making hideous hid-eous progress while this mad encounter en-counter took place, and already their red tongues leaped into view . at the further end of the corridor. Charlie was panting like a hunted stag, hardly able to catch his breath in that smoke-burdened atmosphere yet, no sooner had he hurled his enemy en-emy to the floor, and found the coast clear, than he started along the hallway. hall-way. The numbers on the doors now stood out plainly enough, thanks to the illumination . afforded by the flames, and he knew he was close to where Arline might be found. He saw the door was closed. It gave him a shock then she had not escaped with the first she must still be within her room. He pounced upon the knob and turned it. Horrors! There was no response the door utterly refused to give way, being locked within. Charlie Dounded with his fist udou Once a woman had seized upon him crazed hy fear, she clutched him as a drowning man might a straw. Charlie could not have his mission jeopardized by such detention he was compelled to break away, shouting shout-ing at the same time for her to go to the stairs and descend while the chance remained. God only knew how long this golden opportunity might be held put to them, for the greedy flames were making hideous headway and presently the entire building would be a charnal house. All obstacles had thus far been overcome by his iron will determin-"""ed determin-"""ed to reach and save Arline, he had swept them aside as the March wind whirls the dust out of its path. But the end was not. "One barrier remained. Charlie suspected it not until the thing burst upon him, sudden and unexpected un-expected as lightning from the clear sky overhead. Again a detaining hand. This time it brought his forward movement to a complete stop, and he realized there was something more serious in the detention than when the poor groveling chambermaid had clutched his knees. It was a man; through the haze he had seen his presence without paying pay-ing the least attention to him, and now the fellow, probably as terrified as the women, frantically clung to him. . "To the stairs or the fire escape! let go!" shouted Charlie, and when the other laughed with devilish glee In his ear Stuart turned his head to see close to his own the face of the bogus Capt. Brand, transformed by passion into the countenance of a fiend. Was it accident or deep design that brought Macauley to this floor of the hotel at such a tragical moment? . , When Charlie felt that grip on his arm and looked into the maddened orbs of the ogre, be seemed to realize the panel. "Open the door, Arline! Open, for God's sake! The hotel is on fire!" Apparently he shouted loud enough to arouse the dead, yet no answer came from beyond. . Stuart knew of but one resource left it was a desperate case, and required re-quired a desperate remedy. He raised his foot. One mighty blow shivered the lock as completely as though a battering ram had been brought to bear against it The door flew open Nothing barred his progress now, and with a bound the Briton was in the room. Arline lay upon a Turkish lounge the crash of the door had done what all else had failed to accomplish, for she had just raised her head and was staring at him with eyes dilating in horror as they discovered the whirling whirl-ing clouds of smoke that curled in after him. Charlie ran to assist the girl to her feet, at the same time calling: "The hotel is on fire, but be brave, and I will save you, if possible!" His manner calmed her more than all else. ' She looked into his face, and although al-though her voice trembled, she kept a brave front as she said: "I trust you with my life, Charlie! Tell me what to do, and God help us both!" Brave little woman! That was what he thought her then and there he had believed it on that former occasion, oc-casion, when she wandered in the dark Steen dungeons and passages, and now it was made doubly sure. It would have been worth something to Stuart at this critical juncture, could he have become possessed of the valuable information which the fallen ogre had held 'regarding the ways and means of reaching a fire escape. As it was, he found himself cast upon his 'own resources and compelled o vIi-Hie nf necessity. was wreathed in flames. Their only course was to retreat from the fire as far as possible, and there await rescue or provide for it through their own ingenuity. Still they heard the shrieks of fear-distracted fear-distracted women, cowering in corners cor-ners or rushing wildly through the corridors calling for the help that could never reach them. Such a scene of horror must haunt one while life lasts, so fraught with human suffering, and the utter inability ina-bility to render aid. He had not calculated wrongly; while the smoke rsmaAod-moro dense than ever, the danger of immediate fire was not so great, although he savr it pushing toward them from three separate and distinct quarters, as though closing in upon its victims. An open window at the end of the hall was Charlie's objective point. He had hopes of discovering there the iron ladder that would enable those who had the nerve to grasp its rounds to drop to safety below. Alas! disappointment awaited him, Keen and cutting, since there was no such avenue of escape provided in this quarter. - It was a dizzy distance down to the street, and only a maddened brain could conceive the idea of leaping out into space. Charlie leaned out to survey the situation. Immediately a roar of warning arose from thousands of throats below, while arms waved him back, doubtless under the belief that he meant to take the mad plunge. He was not quite reduced to such an insane policy his resources had not yet been exhausted. Charlie had his bearings now he remembered the lay of the land surely there must be a better chance of escape in the rear. Turning into another corridor, which led in the desired quarter, he pushed on. Arline clung to his arm with whitened face and eyes that reflected that a great crisis in his life had arrived. The stake was Arline's love. This man might be innocent or guilty of murderous design, but appearances ap-pearances were mightily against him. His manner indicated as plainly as words: "This far shall you come and no farther." Instinct warned Charlie to prepare for the worst, to throw himself into a position that was aggressive even while defensive. It was a wise precaution, for the other, even while he continued to glare malevolently into his face, suddenly sud-denly threw himself upon Stuart. . As he expected, Charlie found Macauley Ma-cauley a man gifted with tremendous muscular power. Like trained athletes, ath-letes, the two men whirled around, eaeb seeking the downfall of the other. To Charlie each second meant a closer approach of doom, while with the other the passage of time brought savage satisfaction, as his base plana grew nearer realization. Charlie retracted a step mustering every atom of power In his muscular frame for the storm which he meaot One thing 'was absolutely certain-he certain-he could not count on assistance, and if they escaped it must be through his persistent and determined work. Then, again, he kept before his mind the fact that escape must be downward that flight to the roof would only render their immolation the more certain. Each story they could descend would take them nearer "the street and increase their chances of being assisted through the medium of the fire ladders. Charlie had taken his bearings-he bearings-he knew the fire had not as yet spread over the entire building, though the smoke must have done so ere now. The stairs he had ascended were still free from flames, though this could not long be said, as they were in jeopardy. Snatching up a cloak which m found he pressed it about Arline. Some' craze must have been running riot In his veins at the time, for as her sweet face came close to his own he deliberately kissed her; nor did she by look or word protest there vu something almost holy in the act the horror of her soul, but, thank Heaven! as yet her steps did not falter, fal-ter, nor did she give any signs of collapse, while his great courage remained re-mained to buoy her soul up. The situation grew more intense with every passing second, and Charlie Char-lie knew all too well that unless fortune for-tune speedily gave them an opening it would be too late, since the fire was now sweeping with remorseless fury over the main portion of the doomed structure. Charlie Stuart knew he had to solve the proble mof his existence, as well as that of the gentle being who clung so eagerly to his arm. No man was ever better equipped for the fray. He had everything to urge him on to superhuman efforts abounding life, with all that means to a healthy young man, and, besides, the knowledge knowl-edge that he was beloved by the girl to whom his heart had gone out. Yes, if ever a man had reason ta strive with might and main for victory, vic-tory, it was Charlie Stuart. Manfully he met the requisition, (To be contip" ) |