The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1886-02-05

ing the six months we had been mar
ried never looked at me but with eyes
of love.
"Change your things and go after
her" ething seemed to say; but
repealed it. threw my writingdesk aside,
kicked off my boots, snatched my slip
pers out OF the closet, thrust the easy
chair i'll front of the fire, threw myself
into it, and then, with my feet on the
fender and my hands in my pockets,
sat, morose, bitter and Uncomfortable,
gazing ut the glowing embers.
"She had no business to go!" l ex.
claimed. "She knew l was up all last
night writing that miserable book, and
was out ofsorts, and she ought to have
stayed"
Then l reviewed the past half hour,
and grew calmer as / leaned back,
knowing as did that had forced her
to go, poor child, and how miserable
she would be.
"She'll forget it among all those peo-
ple," said bitterly.
But did not believe it, and at last
! sat there calling myself an idiot,
blind, mailman, to plant as had the
first seeds of what might grow into q
very upas tree ofdissension, and blight
the whole of our married life.
"Poor little darling" I said at last;
"I'll wait up till she comes home, and
then tell her how sorry l am for my
folly, and ask her forgiveness. Butas
a man, can do that? Will it not be
weak? Never mind, ;" Exclaimed, "I'll
do it! Surely, there can he
no drawer thing, than to own
ones self in the wrong. Life
is short to blur it with petty
quarrels. And suppose she were taken
i'll to-night-my darling whom 1 love
with all my heart? Or suppose she
went too near the fire and her dress
caught alight? There, how absurd!
Thank goodness, she is in silk,
and not in one of those fy-away mus.
lins!'
sat on, musine, till suddenly there
was u buzz outside the house, and
then the rush of feet, fancied heard
the word ''fire!!" repeated again and
again, and, turning to the window,
there was u glow which lighted up the
whole place.
Idashed down the stairs and out OF
the door, to find the road thronged,
for n house q little lower down was in
flames, and, to my horror, had not
taken dozen steps before l found it
our friends, the Wilson's.
There was no engine. but n
crowd of excited people talked eager
ly; and just then the fire escape
came trundling along the road. 1t
was quite time, for the house
as l reached it, was blazing furiously,
the flames darting out in long, fiery
tongues from the upper windows, while
at several there were people piteously
crying for help.
fought my way through the crowd,
and tried to run up to the house, but
half a dozen off1cious people held me
back, while the men with the fire escape
tried to rear it against the house; but
it would not reach because of the gar
den in front, SO that they had to get
the wheels of the escape over the iron
ratings, and this caused great delay.
"Iet ME go!' painted to those who
held me. "Let me go! Some one
some one is in the housed"
"You can't do any good, sir" said
policeman, roughly. "The escape
men will do all that can be DONE"
But / struggled frantically, and got
loose, feeling all the while horrible,
despairing sensation, as knew that
my poor darling was one of the shrek
ing suppliants for helpat the windows,
and that but for my folly might
have savedher.
As l freed myself from those who
held me, and ran to the escape, it was
to find that the man who had ascend
ed it had just been beaten back by the
flames.
"It's no good" he said; 1--WE must
try the back of thehouse."
He was about to drag the machine
away, when heard my name called in
piteous tones; and as l was once more
seized, shook myself free, rushed I'D
the ladder, with the flames scorching
and burning my face and painting and
breathless, I reached window where
Matte stood stretching out her hands.
Igot astride OF the sill, the flames
being waited away from me, and threw
my arms around her; but as did so
the ladder gave away, burned through
by the flames that gushed furiously
from the lower window, and felt that
must either jump or try to descend
by the staircase.
There was no time for thinking, SO l
climbed in, lifted Matte in my arms,
feeling her dress crumble in my hands
as touched her, and the horrible odor
of burnt hair rose to my nostrils as
saw her wild, blackened face turned to
mine.
"Dick, Dickl" she gasped, "save me!'
and then she tainted.
Fortunately, I was as much at home
in the house as my own, and making
for the staircase through the flame
and smoke, reached it in safety, but
below me was what seemed to be n
fiercely blazing furnace. Irecoiled for
O moment, but it was my only hope,
and recalled that the lower floor was
as yet untouched by the fire; it was
the one beneath me that was blazing
so furiously. So, getting good tight
grip of my treasure, rushed down
the burning stairs, feeling them crackle
and give way as Ibounded from one to
the other.
~ Was " Aeiy OIuceIl, OuO Al " Acw
seconds I was below the flames, and
reached the hall, where struggled to
the door, reached it and fell. IfIcould
but open it I knew we were saved; but
was exhausted, and the hot air
caught me by the throat and seemed
to strange me. Iraised my hand to
the lock, but it fell back. beat feebly
at the door but there was only the
roar of the flames to answer me; and
as made one more supreme effort
painting and struggling to reach the
fastening, ! was dragged back by the
weight Of the burden still clasped to
my breast.
It was more than human endurance
could bear, and felt that the end was
near; and to make my sufferings more
poieant, Matte seemed to revive,
Struggling with me for her life, as she
kept repeating my name, and chung to
me, till
"Dick-dear Dick! Wake-pray
wake! Are you ill2"
Istarted up to find Matte clinging to
me; and, clasping her to my heart n
yreat sob burst from me as kissed