| Show Vu FHy A WARRIOR BOLD by ST GEORGE RATHBORNE au aar of little X lions 11 on TAO spider 8 wit web dr fack i widow if ss capaiu ta Ct 1001 street ad bolth newyork new XV continued the idea which he had conceived to the effect that the chances might be better in the rear of the hotel as corn com pared with the sides facing upon the thoroughfares was at least reason able he ile believed some unseen hand guld r ed him and there was a certain bold confidence in aa his intrepid heart that all would yet be well all must be well since arline loved him heaven could not be so cruel as to give him this fleeting glimpse into paradise just as moses was allowed to 1001 over into the promised land and then snatch him away forever it was this positive tiie belief in alti mate escape tl at bore boro him up so well that kept his brain as clear as a bell and prevented a contusion confusion ot of ideal ideas such as must have proven fatal to bis ins chaiees the two fugitives ran the tle gauntlet in safety although there was a time when charlie began to fear their ress would be cut off so fiercely did the savage flames roll along luckily an opening occurred through which he rushed halt half bearin bearing g arline I 1 to retreat meant destruction aa he well knew and their only hope I 1 now was as to push grimly on one thing favored them close to the fire the smoke was not so suffocating in some of the corridors it was so dense that many poor pooh beail dered wandering souls must have been asphyxiated long before the fire reached them charlie s first hope was to find some ay designed tor for the help belp it if such existed through which the fiery streamers had not been drawn dran he saw many roofs here and there come towering buildings and a thou the whole dread spectacle could be ob served he saw where a chance offered II 11 one bone could but reach the next lower floor but it was not open to them here quick as a flash ha he darted into an adjoining room it had two beds in it and from these he whipped the sheets the sheets torn lengthwise and knotted together would serve the pur pose he had in view even while he was ripping them in broad strips and knotting them to gether stuart kept watch and ward over the flames again he looked down everything appeared tan fai arable at least there was as yet no sign of flames bursting out below him how furiously ne worked I 1 how with clinched teeth he tested each knot that rude rope was to bear a burden that was very precious to him and he did not mean it should betray him it was all done in an incredibly short time though doubtless under euch such a fearful strain it seemed hours to those whose lives and future happi ness by a thread as it were charlie knotted one end around ar line while her eyes looked into his with a braver he would never never nener forget she knew this desperate move of his was the only hope they bad had so she shut her teeth hard together and crushed down the nail all that flut in her throat the womanly fear of facing peril such as men can hard ly appreciate while he worked in this way charlie was busy explaining to arline as sim ply as words could do what her part was to be never to his dying day would char lie forget bow how she 1001 cooled ed into his eyes on broad gill sill of the window and gae him even a piteous smile meant to be enczur aging then she was gone he thought his heart had broken such was the wrench it received when she passed from his sight and he re allred that she hung thre in midair with only a trail frail sheeted rope between herself and eternity then elapsed a few seconds that seemed bears ears never had he experienced a mere more radical sensation of extreme joy than when there came three quick tugs at the rope the signal she was to give when she had secured a lodgment on the window sill below and desired more line in order to enter quickly he allowed it to slip through his fingers so that she might release herself from the noose ere he made the attempt to descend the flames were now driving along the corridor and it seemed as though though they would the open window ere another minute had elapsed to a man of stuart s build and ath letic letle qualities it was a mere bagatelle to accomplish this feat his only dan ger seemed to lie in a fracture of the rope like magic he dropped down and arrived opposite the window A pair of arms shot out and seized him arline was on the watch and much distressed lest something should happen to him and charlie was thankful enough to crawl in through that blessed window hia his first act was to take her to his heart and exclaim god bless you for a brave girl beep b up your spirits and we will cheat the old monster yet she anred ansa ered him with a rare look of confidence and trust that made him stronger than ever in the resolution to dare all for her sake at a what advantage had been gained they were one flight nearer the earth but the danger still menaced this floor hice like all others was given over to the riotous flames and to halt here meant the same inevitable end charlie did not mean to stay given time he might have found or constructed a rope by means of which he would have lowered arline to the ground that would have been glorious but the seconds were too few and be sides on looking down he saw the old enemy bursting out from the windows near the basement some other plan then was needed CHAPTER at last charlie had conceived a plan which while it offered certain chances of sue cess at the same came time entailed con linued risk there was a winy wing where the fire did not as yet appear to have secured a foothold it if they could but reach that section which would be the last to feed the flames apparently their escape was almost a certainty accordingly charlie a first first action after tal ing arline in his arms was to ascertain whether his surmise were correct or if he had deceived himself there was great relief when he found that a passage led off directly toward the quarter where relief seemed to bold hold out hope the smoke filled it almost to buffo cation and his heart him as he caught a fleeting glimpse of a lurid glow through the haze that warned him hi a the fire demon was working even in this c quarter sparing nothing the smoke grew more dense it seemed to almost paralyze his very brain his eyes barted and burned as though seared with red hot irons senses reeled yet with the endom bitable pluck of a true soldier he pressed grimly on she bering arline as well as he could with the cloak she wore and which proved a blessing in more ways than had entered into his reasoning at the time he first clasped it about her every yard which they covered brought them closer to their eoal goal where doubtless friendly hands waited to bear them down to safety this was the hope that sustained charlie in the midst of all this des ordeal that an oasis lay beyond the pure air of heaven awaited them once they passed the barrier he was weak and tottering himself from the effect of o 0 haq exertions and the pungent smoke that many times overcomes daring fire laddies as they venture a trifle too far and yet he thought only of arline thought she must be he in a condition of collapse nothing else could have possessed him to suddenly snatch her up in his arms and stagger on through the blinding choking smoke at first she struggled but when he pressed her more fiercely to his heart she lay passive staggering alone like a drunken man charlie endeavored to pass the rubicon that spot where the sullen glow was now continuous and in he was presently to be engulfed juet just at the critical spot where the dames flames were bearing down along an other passage he sank heavily to the floor was this the end had his bave brave b ave fight come to naught in that dread moment when defeat stared him in the face his heart al most broke arline had meanwhile struggled out of his arms for she had gone down v aith ith him oh charlie what shall I 1 do doa she cried in her wild alarm and distress tor for the sea of flame appeared so very close that it seemed as though the dread cris s ware were upon them fly fly yonder lies safety he cried truing to get upon his knees only to fall back he ile had sheltered her at the expense of his own strength and now must pay the penalty but yoi I 1 can cant t leave you here she sobbed bending down to put her arms about his neck you must there is no hope for me it if I 1 can I 1 will crawl on but you must go god forbid we should both perish here kiss me arline and go no no I 1 could not do not ask me it Is my desire make haste or oh headen beai en I 1 it is even now too late as a tongue of flame shot across the palage beyond arline gave a shriek sie slie tightened her bold upon him desperation gave her strength tor for she dragged the almost senseless man alone along toward safety guardian ang angels angis Is must have held back those cruel tangs fangs until they had passed the fatal place for hardly were they beyond than with a rush and a roar the abyss of fire swallowed up the spot where charlie had been over come still she dragged him along love gave her a power she had never known before under its magical influence weaklings become strong as lions and perform prodigies of valor through the smoke almost over powered by its awful fumes she went ah ali were those shouts just aheady she shrieked aloud and heard answer ing cries cheery cries that gave her new hope new ambition then gigantic figures loomed up be yond and arline swooned at the feet of the firemen who picked both of them up in kindly arms and bore them into the fresh air two hours later charlie sadly demoralized so far as looks went with bloodshot eyes singed mustache sane sang a portion of his eyebrows and with sundry burns upon face and hands yet bearing a grim look of happiness upon his countenance knocked at the door of a room in a neighboring hotel and was admitted by arline s compan ton whose temporary absence from the windsor hotel at the time of the fire had possibly saved her ufa life arline lay upon a lounge she too had suffered somewhat from the terrible experience although not so severely as her lover but to charlie a ravished eyes the she had never looked so charming as when ehe she held out both hands to him while blushes chased each other over face and neck god was indeed good to us charlie she said after he had bent down and deliberately kissed her with the air of 0 one who holds a proprietary right I 1 echo your words my darling and I 1 venture to say I 1 am the only man in new york to whom that fear tul ful fire brought good luck ah ali but you richly earned all that and more you who fought so des pera tely to save me where would I 1 be now only for or you youa ob chary e bursting into a flood of tears as she remembered how be lie had swept into her room and taken possession of 0 her leading her through devious ways at last to safety and life and who was it dragged me away from the hungry maw of the flames when they seemed sure of their prey ah my dear girl the honors are pret ty nearly even it seems to me we belong to each other and heaven give me the power to make your life hap py oh charlie doubt can never enter into my soul after what has occurred I 1 could not live without your love I 1 am only contented with you they spent a happy halt half hour then charlie remembered that be he bore a message aleck and your father are below they met in the strangest way during the fire it certainly looks as though the hand of fate was in it at any rate they are both anxious to see you he said capt brand claimed his daughter and this time there could be no mistaking the genuine thrill that awoke I 1 in arline s heart when she saw his ge nial face and heard his voice which at once aroused memories of long ago while the great metropolis was wrapped in mourning oa on that sad st patrick s evening a happy group dined in the other hotel capt brand related many of his ad ventures in a modest way entirely dit dif erent ferent from the braggadocio ot of the 1 im poster again and again his eyes rested tenderly and proudly on his lovely daughter she had been in his thoughts tor for years while he scoured the deserts with the wild arab tribe with whom he had been associated and he had hard work indeed to believe it was not a dream aleck too seemed to grow more manly and charlie felt sure ha he had a grand future before him the follies of the past would serve as guideposts directing him to the straight and nar row road that leads to happiness As for charlie a peace had come t upon him sueh suela as only the mariner knows when at last his storm tossed barque slips into a safe harbor where love and home await his coming he looked into her beautiful face where the lovelight and glow of happi ness dwelt forever more and thanked heaven for the bountiful mercies that had carried them through the perils of fire to such peace and hope no cloud dimmed their joy on this night of thanksgiving save the pity they felt for those who had lost loved ones in the awful calamity the shock must for a long time hang upon them it could hardly be other j wise but young hearts recover from i such things by and by and at length it bould only be a sad memory to arouse a sigh or a pitying tear through arline a ready hand a num ber ler of those who suffered in the fire found temporary relief her purse was open to any reasonable demand and when some months later she sailed for or england with her husband many a grateful heart breathed prayers for her safety upon the deep THE END |
