Litchfield enquirer., 1874-08-27
to avoid it as much as possible.

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 been made secure against me from with
 ont. Then, with desperate violence. and with all the strength I could muster, I
 dashed 8 heavy chair against the door of
 the front -oom,
 The panelling was completely smashed,
 and through the opening thus made,
 thick volume of poisonous smoke poured Into the room. But still the lock held
 last, and still my escape was prevented,
 even had the staircase without remained passabie, which seemed most doubtful,
 for already it was burning furiously.
 The window was now my sole chance.
 looked out. There was sea of upturn-
 ed faces orange-hued, from the refec- ton of the flames. The police had driv-
 en back the crowd, so as to form a semi
 circle of spectators, with sufficient space
 Tn front for the fre-engines to be worked
 freely. The roadway was flooded with water. which mirrored brightly the red
 sky and the leaping fire. Every neigh
 boring window was crowded with scared
 lookers-on. It was strange and most ex- citing scene. The uproar when the dense
 throng below caught sight of me at the window was indeed alarming. I was
 eheered and applauded, as though had been popular candidate for election up- on the hustings. But above all these
 cries could plainly hear the mechanical
 pulsing sound of the engines in full work
 the rush and gurgle, the hiss and splash
 of falling >water-and the screaming of
 the flames, which seemed to issue chiefly
 rom the floors above me, and from the built-out shop at the back of the house. Trembling all over, I stepped from the
 window-sill on to the projecting cornice
 of the shop-frgnt below. I then let my
 self down gradually, and after clinging to the ledge for moment, dropped several feet on to the pavement. l was saved
 from falling by the sturdy arms of po- Iceman. I was half-sufocated, and my eyes smarted terribly; my hands were
 torn and bleeding, and both ancles seem-
 ed badly sprained; otherwise, I was un-
 injured.
 In right, I suppose, of my narrow es- cape, and my lawful interest in the catas- tr0phe, I was permitted to remain near I the fire-engines and to watch the progress of the confagration. I was not conscious l for some time that my dress was most 1n-
 complete, and that was up to my insteps
 in water
 Suddenly, found Aaron Reklam close beside me. He started back when he ob served me-not merely with surprise, but also. as judged, with alarm and aver | sion. He was in a state of extreme agi- tation.
 "1 never dressed SO quickly in my life" he said, in a tremulous voice, and he rub bed his hands together nervously. He
 was bareheaded-I could note by the light of the flames his partial badness;
 but his attire was complete in other re- spects, even to the neat adjustment of his shirt-collar and neckerchief. could not doubt that he had never undressed at all.
 He turned his gleaming eyes full upon me; his gaze seemed to me more baneful 1 and maleticent than ever. For moment almost dreaded personal violence at his nSds.
 "You've had narrow escape" he said. "Very narrow" He looked as though he grudged mo my life most bitterly. ''It was an accident: though it broke out Ill two or three places at once. I | can't think how it happened" And again he glared at me. ''You can't either, I suppose?" he ask ed.
 II cannot tell" said faintly. 'tIt will be the ruin of me-of the firm -the complete ruin.'
 "You' 're not insured?" "Yes, we're insured, but not for the full amount-not nearly-only for tri- fie."
 "And your brother-Mr. Nathan--is he safe?''
 "He was, moment ago. But he went back; l told him there was plenty of time to save some documents of value.' "And he's not been seen since?" "No, not since. But it was only q mo- ment ago. He's all right Nathan knows what he's about!'' The horrid truth then burst upon me. The place had been set on fire for the sake of the insurance money, and had been decoyed to be a lodger. and destroy ed, in order to give a color to the pro- ceeding. While this passed through my mind, Nathan Reklam made his appear ance at the open private door. With wild cry, Aaron rushed towards him, and shut the door. He wished to be the sole beneficiary. The confusion was so great that few took heed of the brothers. Thick clouds of dust now mingled with the smoke. The crowd was driven farther
 back by some yards. Even the firem en
 were forced to retreat.
 The outer wall of the house had fallen. l. remember nothing more. l was found, as l afterwards learnt, stratched senseless upon the wet roadway, and was carried, upon the shoulders of friendly by-standers, to a neighboring tavern There remained some days in an alarm ing condition of exhaustion and delirium.
 The Brothers Reklam were not again seen alive. It was generally agreed that they had both perished,in the fire of their own contriving- -retribution had overtak- en them in a terrible way. No trace of them was ever discovered in the ruins of the building. Nor were any relics found of the treasures that had once filled their premises to overfowing, My own belief was, and is. that thesea had been carefully and stealthily removed some time before l the fire broke out. Brief paragraphs in the newspapers were devoted tNthe Serious Confagra- tiOn in SohO-Two Lives Lost" Noth- ing was ever said publicly, however, as to the suspicious nature of the occurrence. At 8 later date, l was enabled to ascer- contents had been insured to a very large amount. Of the early history of the brothers, could learn nothing. The firemen made no secret of their opinion that the fire was the result of design. The flames, they said, had been sent to burst forth simultaneously from three distinct parts of the house. Something also they did tnot hesitate to allege as to the em- ployment of naptha or turpentlne to quicken the action of the fire. And they
 congratulated me, as congratulated my self, upon my almost miraculous escape. No relatives or representatives of the brothers ever appeared to claim the amount of the insurance money. No one, indeed, even ventured to own kindred with the departed Reklams. have often been told that I knew more about them than anybody else. Well, I dld not know
 much; but certainly, to my thinking, knew enough.
 Had any claim been made upon the
 policies, was informed that the offices were fully prepared to resist it, simply on
 the ground of fro,td, and of this, as in
 too many cases, there was held to be very
 sufficient evidence. I have exhausted.
 however, all my information on the sub | < - z