Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-07-09

NJ c,o,inued from Saturdays oommerotail
,u,,o,,s the matter 7 Who the deuce is
q. ~ cried startled voice within.
ph Ia I-Alice!n she answered "Mr.
E house is on fire The alarm
4 p'e't"'b W, ,a he giyen at once Oh, sir, pray
Ply alai55uJ 5r, lnplesby needed no further adjura-
III She heard him say, 1.-THE Devil !" and
H Oln .o nnp snring to the floor. ''l'll be there
pau, n,innte he answered. Grouse the ser
a. Alice Send somebody TO knock 'em
n n' aver there. Where did the fire burst out
Il. no alarm been given ?"
81 have not heard sound, she replied.
4 where are never any policemen in this part
n be town, and everybody seems asleep
~ "orc must wake them soon, however" "
\ 81, the fire serious =
Fl .yery serious, | should think.
X She waited to say no more, but hastened
Fl ark to her own room to see now matters
h r' undressing. Even In these few mini
ihe fire had gained considerably; but
II bnise itself was yet wrapped in utter
Nj Illness A sudden, horrible fear came over
What if one of the tragedies so rife in
r.r das Of terror had been perpetnted
Fl tIIai n lhe household had been murdered,
NJ Iii thr house fired to conceal the crime
X @gtblnr seems possible in a moment of
Fl ,ar especially if that panic comes at night.
H., hriri seemed to stand still for minute;
ll,n A Sudden flood Of resolution came to her
IN, mrned left the room, ran down stairs
lnknr. even in this moment of supreme
n vehement that ii was fortunate she had not
Il iWlrssryl- and, cropping her way through
N ~ lark house, managed to unbar one of the
f bnint room windows, and let herself into the
snlrn The whole thing occupied such
FL tor, space of time that she saw scarcely
X ny change in the state of affairs when she
E ppp out into the open air. She did not
|. Ran 10 wonder at the quietness which still
X foplcl over every thing, nor to admire the
III fleet of the flames so wildly thrown into
K krirl against the deep purple sky. She sped
E sWiflIy down one of the paths which led to
III lhe gate opening into the DeyereuX grounds
HI 4 was as She reached this, and laid her hand
n the familiar latch, that the first cry of
+ Fire rang out in the street; and the next
r. moment the deep tones of the alarm bell be-
E han o sound.
f. "lmnk God !" she said--but still she held
Fl tn her way, knowing that succOr could not
III omc for some time, and that meanwhile the
|3 innight render the escape of those within
4 tlcnlt if not dangerous. Quickly she sped
+ clu,s the uwer-betls, quickly through the
rlgrs and under the dropping vines laden
Nid olorOus blossoms, quickly across the
4 aan damp with Clinging dew, quickly up
lt broad Stone steps into the porticO. Then
t,idns the hell-handle, she pulled il violently
bgan and again. Still no sound answered
lIough She could hear it tinkling far
+ hNav
Good Heavens what can be the matterY"
L BIZ thought, turning round to see if no rescue
/ M, at hand As she looked, she saw man
omr dashing hurriedly over The lawn toward
tr The front gates were still fastened, So
f inal he had evidently leaped the palings As
4 lr prang up the Steps, and they stood face
y face IN the bright glow, she saw that ii
AH, hrnnun.
ri "Laurcnce!' she cried
II Alice said he, in the tone of one over
Nlr.mcl with surprise.
4 But the next instant he remembered him
pit and drew back stiilly
Il wg pardon, Mrs. lnglcsby. was sur
n lrscd To SEE you here; but | suppose that,
lie myself, y0u wish to rous. the inmates.
I \, possible nobody is awake yet 2"
Nobody has stirred. she answered. ''It
ft4's to me exceedingly strange. am very
eaN you have come / saw the fire first, "
sAc went on, quickly, ''my room is on this
shc-l lett my fllhcr-in-law dressing aud
all- oh, pray ring the bell :"
This confused speech did not sound very
mnch like the stately Mrs Inglesby, but in
run hrmons dark eyes were reading her
i"c So krrlIly and she was SO well aware
ilal he was wondering how she came to be
awake and dressed at such an hour of the
IAh'' 'lIal her usual self-pOssession quite
iol,ook her
Ring the bell! :" she repeated, sharply, as
le still stood hooking at her. 'Surely they
must wake after awhile."
Zeal after peal at the bell, knock after
KNOCK on the door producing no effect, Ken
non shrugged his shoulders.
+ lr'rrenA always slept like one of the
seven champions of Christendom," he said,
all ii is evident his servants share the pc
TrunDafl'y. II you'll stay here Mrs. lnglesby,
al Z" round and try TO get into the house
serious.
surely the fire company will be here
he thought.
llr alarm has just been given, " he an
s"tied ''lhcy are not likely to be here very
S4I, ! am afraid the old house will GER
lanIy 90
Wll what shame-what a pity!"
Hl'e apity,' he said, philOsophically.
l'oM are you going to get in 2" she asked,
a' he turned away.
! si@l break a window of the conserva-
'ory, he answered, coolly.
linen he walked off, but when he reached
'nt conservatory, he found, much to his sur
p,',, lh'1l she had followed him.
u you have no objection, | will go in,
"'' She said. 81 can wake the servants,
"I,IIe you rouse Mr.. Devereux."
are you afraid to trust me with him 2"
s'Aeu he with Il sudden bitter tone in hiS
,o''' sudden angry flash in his eye 81
"1'g mol taken IA degree in assassination
ION know better than that" she an
s"rI'd' haughtily. "Mr Devereux is no
"I't "% 10 me than any other acquaintance
t,,c ""sc llle desire to save-nO more than one
u nh servants. But if the house is doomed,
may toe able to save few valuables and
,iTt , There is nObo ly else to do il, feel ii
flgIt To 20 in.
IN II 'eeI 1t right to tell you that there's risk
nHcaIcely just yet, think"
,o e Elanced up at the roof which was al
I"N beginning to blaze in several places
,"itUSEru M. his shoulders again-smashed Il
G,r G','''M' Climbed in, and opened a door for
L together they entered the house, and
WIn '',hd their way to the upper regions.
,r''c hennon went to wake his cousin,
sa "o reused the startled servants, who
'vy waited TO throw ON their clothes be.
''iT ~ 'hry fled in wild alarm.
ho,.'i' nun snddenly,as if by magic, the grounds
tte '.e Gni 'hronged with people, the engines OF
M nl' companies came up with gallnp and
Nl.u. i.