The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-06-19
PARIS EXPOSITION BUILDINGS 1878
- PALACE or TIE 7aocADkRo-Rnzr SIDE OF TIE sszYE

with the agony OF the scene. FefSplra-
tion was starting from every pore. He
sprang out of the bed and threw up a
window. The night was sweet and fair
as when he retired, with the added glory
of the full moon, in the fuller light of
which the stars were paling their mod
est brightness. Over the fair landscape
were flung frightening, sleeping shad-
ows Of tall trees, shrubbery, and home
like cottages in their inclosure. ..,. ~
>. The scene Gained, sobered him, but
did not dissolve the hurried impression
of danger. Was his dream warning I?
he tried to smile and put it away as the
offspring of o diseased imagination.
But the vivid horror Of the scene stood
before his vision with too much of reali-
ty. AMI he turned to dress with quick,
nervous haste. The moon shone di-
rectly into his room and it's light was all
sufficient. He was only four miles from
Woodville. He could walk that distance.
He could not rest with this horrible i'm
preston upon him-something might
be even now happening. He let himself
ont noiselessly at the front door, and
commenced rapid walk, The church
clock tolled the heur-twelye. He
would reach there in less than an hour.
What if he should find his, dream real
lied? He was good walker, and the
distance between him and Woodville
rapidly lessened As he drew near he
began to feel reaction-indeed, almost
inclined to turn back. He came sud-
denly upon. the village, lying serene and
lovely under the moonlight. The Co.
cassett House, to which his gaze was
directed, loomed up large and tall
among the quiet cottages around, and
some stately elms threw their protecting
C;aadows over its white walls. ,.~> ''!!''
-, All 4! what is that2 The horror of the
dream is repeated? o broad, angry
sheet of fame suddenly bursts from the
windows of the east side of the building !
1t is not far from the room occupied by
the two girls. :.
"Merciful heaven /" burst from his
lips. "The fire must have made terri
BILE headway inside |" He rushed up
the steps and rang the bell violently,
while his voice sounded on the stiffness
with the most horribly ominous words
one can hear in the dead of night,
"Fire Fire p
The house was aroused in moment.
Partly dressed persons of both sexes
rushed wildly along through the halls,
which were 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 up
stairs to the room which his friends oc-
cupied, but was Mortified to find the
nassage in flames. "Good God," he
groaned, show shall I rescue them 2"
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-
focated. Redmond shouted; no answer.
Two men went hastily for ladder; it
would be an eternity before they re-
turned. Meanwhile they were in the
very jaws of death ! A tall tree rose
firm and grand near the window. Red
mond flung his coat on the dewy grass
and assembled it quickly. How, he could
not tell, but he gained projecting
branch, threw up the windows and
vaulted into the room. He was clever
gympast, but in his hours of amusement
he never dreamed of this terrible need.
The room was full of thick smoke that
almost stopped his breath. The girls
lay unconscious in sleep that in few
moments more would be eternal. He
caught the first one, and supporting her
light form in one arm, with the other he
aided his downward descent, and placed
the unconscious form in the hands out
stretched below. The lurid light showed
the still face Of Louise. Till then he
had not known which one he had res
cued, for he had purposed to save both,
or die in the attempt. This had been
the work of a moment. It was only that
of another to reascend, perform again
the brave deed, and give to trembling
arms the other unconscious form.
Redmond Clarke h. l a large reserve
power in his organization; but his real
strength, physically, was far from enor-
nous. The need for the exercise OF his
tremendous will being over, he tottered
and fell insensible few rods from the
spot where the two girls lay on some
bedding that had been thrown out from
the burning house.
Kind neighbors were making prepara-
tions for the removal and accommoda-
ton of the sufferers. Louise, under the
reviving influence of the night air,
gasped once or twice, and then slowly
unclosed her eyes. She looked around
on the burning building and the dis.
ordered scene with q strange, unreal
sensation. She rose slowly to sitting
position, and saw Redmond lying still
as death on the dewy greensward. The
flames leaped and roared, and the harm
less sivery moonlight paled before their
lurid, wrathful CLEAN.
Chow did I come here?" asked
Louise, in dazed, bewildered manner.
"You have been carried out of this
burning building, unconscious" said q
gentleman standing near. "That per-
son, pointing to Redmond; "saved you
both. He has not spoken since"
"Redmond Clarkel" she said, half
dreamily. He was not here last night.