Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-07-04

floor rapidly, her eyes tlashininy disnant
ly with the Intensity Of passion 10 whici
shehad wrought herself.
"Take care" said Blanche warniagly
in low voice. "You remember Hamil
ton Belmont saved MY life at the risk o
his own. He was none OF your heroic
looking men,"
You will find that Redmond Clark,
is not Il second Hamilton Belmont. If
could know for certainty that he m,
away from any danger, threatened or real
should never again allow him to touci
even my finger tips. l should feel s,
Inundated that such man had eve
dared to ask for my love-
Don't judge too harshly--too ht Silly,
said her trie1d, gently. You knew tina
Redmond Clarke and Louise Rand wcr'
tltted to make each other happy could tn
latter have the mists of doubt cleared
from her wi'fnl eyes.
Clarke had really intended to return t
the Cocassett house IS he promised, bu
tile gentleman whom he sought was alb
Sent, and the last stage left before his re
turn.
Ashdale was primitive, unambitiou.
town. Its on connection with the grca
world was the regular stage. Its hills
and valleys had never yet echoed with the
shrill whistle of tho locomotive. -. >.s.-
He pac,i back ward and forward or
the piazza of the quiet little hotel where
he was to pass the night. under the poetic
skies of a fine evening, thinking Of Louise
Rand. Her naughty imperiousness had
charm for him. He smiled to himself
as he thought, "she will thoroughly be-
lieve now what she suspected when l lef,
FER, that | should not return to-nig ht y
He was prLuder than she. The was a
depth beneath that incident exterior she
had not sounded and because she had
doubted him-shc whom he loved-he
Won d not deiga to inconvenience him.
self o gain her approval. A, man with
less inherent haughtiness would have act
ed differently.
He retired early and was soon in u
deep s'umber. 1t did not prove refresh
ing. \ feverish, restless dream wreath
ed in and out of his brain. He saw
Louise suspended over waste of waters
clinsing to something that threatened
every moment to snap with her wei ght,
and she be engulfed forever. Then the
scene shifted, and he saw as plainly as
if it were reality the building where he
had left her enveloped in flame, and
amid the cries CT frantic men and wome
Louise in her white night robe at WIN
dow where the flames were rapidly clos
ing round her, reaching out to hum With
wild shrieks for help. He woke with
the agony of the scene. Perspiration was
starting from every pore. He sprang out
1.-THE bed and threw up window. The
night was sweet ard fair as when he re-
tired, with the added glory Of the fnll
moon, in the fuller light Of which the
stars were paling their modest brightness.
Over the fair landscape were flung
lengthening, sleeping shadows of tall
trees, shrubbery, and homelike cottages
in their Enclosure.
The scene Gained, sobered him, but did
not dissolve the hurried impression of
danger. Was his dream warning! He
tried to smile and put it away as the Off
spring Of a diseased imagination. But the
vivid horror Of the scene stood before his
vision with to much reality, and he turned
to dress with quick, nervous haste. The
moon shown directly into his room and its
light was all sufficient. He was only four
miles from Woodville. He could walk
that distance. He could not rest with this
horrible impression upon hlm--something
might be even now happening. He let
himself out noiselessly at the front door
and commenced rapid walk. The church
clock tolled the hour twelve. He would
reach there in less than an hour. What if
he should find his dream realized? He was
a good walker, and the distance between
him and Woodvile rapidly lessened.
AS he drew near he began to feel reac-
tion-indeed ALMOST inclined to turn back.
He came suddenly upon the village, lying
serene and lovely under the moonlight
The Cocassetr House, to which his gaze
was directed, doomed up large and tall
among the quiet cottages around and some
stately elms threw their protecting shad-
ows over It's white walls.
All. what 1s that The horror of the
dream is repeated. and q broad, angry
sheet Of fame suddenly burst from the
windows of the east side Of the building
It is not far from the room occupied BY
the two girls.
Merc:ful heaven;' burst from bis
lips. g. The fire must have made terri
bic hcadway inside!' He rushed up the
steps and and rang the bell violently,
while his voice sounded o. the stiffness
with the most horribly ominous words
one can hear in the dead OF the night,
Fire! Fire.
The house was aroused in a moment
Partly dressed persons Of both sexes
rushed wildly along through the halls
which we're filled with suffocating smoke,
The fire had the upper hand. There
was little time to save aught but precious
lives.
Redmond, who had at once opened the
door with his latch key. rushed upstairs
to the room which his friends occupied,
but was Mortified to find the passage in
flames. "Good G. d,'he groaned. show
shall rescue them2'
He rushed out again and joined the
crowd who had collected under Louise's
window. No sound issued from the
room. Perhaps they were already suf
.ocated. Redmond shouted; nc answer
Two men went hastily for ladder; i,
would be eternity before they returned
Meanwhile they were in the very jaws OF
death! A tall tree rose firm and grand
near the window: Redmond flung his
coat on the dewy grass and asce,ded i,
quickly. How, he could not tell, but he
gained projecting branch, threw: up the
windows and vaulted into the room. HI
was clever gymnast, but in his hours OF
amusement he never dreamed of this ter.
rible need. The room was full of thick
smoke that almost stopped his breath
The girls lay unconscious in a sleep thai
in few moments more would be eternal
He eau ht the first one, and supporting
her light form in one arm, with the othe1
he aided his downward descent, anG
placed the unconscious form in the hand,
outstretched, below The lurid ]ighr
showed the still face of Louise. Till ther
he had not known which one he had res
cued, for he had purposed to save both
or die in the attempt. This had, beer
the work of a moment. 1t was only tina
Of another to reascend. perform againsth.