Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-02-29

/ I-idrI SoWdruI'' 10 De applled 10 such
mana man with long list of deadly
encounters TO his credit, Is not one of
which he had failed to .'do" for his
man.
The young man sighed as he dis
missed the idea from his mind as
wholly impracticable.
Then he drew from his bosom the
photograph and gazed upon it remorse-
fully.
A lovely face-the face OF a woman
| OF 30, or Observation-Disclosures yet
sad; oh. so sad, so sOrrowrul, perhaps
from slowly consuming heart break,
but with such a divine patience and
accomplishing resignation In the lofty
shaded cheeks and deep spiritual eyes
Poor Madgel Poor sister MadgeI''
he murmured, Gould you have
imagined how your picture was de-
stined to interpose between my heart
and the avengers bullet, how would
/ your own tender heart have stood still
as you gave 1t me, with your pious
/ godSpeed, two years ago! What could
nave been the subtle spell that it
wrought upon such an adamantIne
nature as Springsteel Grants in my
behoofp"
He passed his hand over his brow re-
| dectively.
"Once, only once" he resumed, "up
/ yonder in the gu!ch did he look upon 1t,
by accident. True, he started strangely
then; but directly afterward he merely
complimenteI me coldly on your good
| looks, Madge, when l told him you
were my sister, my only sister and my
/ all on earth That was all. Could he
have been concerned IN the cruel dis
/ appointment, or MISUNDERSTANDING,
which, L have heard, ruined your mai
/ den hopes of bliss when l was but a
child, making your latter years so Bit
/ ter, and yet you 50 sweet, so motherly
| to me? Hardly. Though Springfield
has but seldom alluded to his anteced-
/ ents, do not think he could have been
| from our neighborhOOd in the east.
| What was your pictures soften!ng
| influence, then, upon such a man, my
| siSterp AlasI nothing more, / fear,
than a passing generous freak in a heart
unused to pity. Doubtless that was
/ all; and now my life is his upon de-
mand. No matter. You are TO be
with me tomorrow, Madge. You are
thenceforth to make your home with
me, and not another soul the wiser.
/ And when we have become snugly set
| tied in the little ranch that l have been
secretly paying for and fitting up, per-
haps my misused chum may yet further
/ forgive me those crazy words, and
| forego the life debt that must be his
for his asking"
lie laid the picture upon the stand
and arose.
~ will 90 To himv' he repeated.
Yes; l will at least humble myself
before him. as is only Just, even though
he spurn me with contempt. And
yet-what is the use? What WAS my
provocation? His stern, but we'll
| meant, interference to prevent me los
ing my pile to a notorious gambler and
cheat, who was careful enough on his
part-the skulking coward-not to re-
sent the thwarting. And that was my
requittal of such kindness Good lordl
torrents OF foul abuse, and those mad,
those idiotic epithets. L am crazy to
dream that he will forgive It-Ihat he
will not demand his shot on occasion.
Oh, Madge, Madgel to what ruin may
our hoped for happiness be doomed by
my folly and my madness?"
He took another drink from the bot
! tie, and desperately threw himself on
the bed. after merely throwing of his
coat and boots.
He presently fell asleep, while softly
reunited at last"
He was awakened at daylight by a
suffocating sensation, and got upon his
| feet, coughing and splitting.
The room was fast filing with
smoke, the reflection of flames rose and
| fell before the window, the very boards
beneath his feet were hot He tore
! open the door. The corridor was full
of yet denser smoke. scanned with occa-
sional flashes, cries of alarm were ring
/ ing through the lower passages, and
there was a crash from somewhere
/ below, followed by fountain or sparks
and flames which he correctly attribu-
/ ted to the fall of burned away stair
case. thus cutting of escape IN that
/ direction. He closed the door, stag
/ gered across the floor to the window,
and hurled the sashes outward by
single pressure of his powerful hand.
He was in the hfth story OF the burn
/ ing hotel, fully sixty feet above the
stony street, which was flied with an
| excited multitude
They were gesticulatIng am yelling
/ to him, but that was all. Plenty of
useless running about, imprlcticable
yocIferationS IN abundance, but not a
| thing being done or offered for his re-
| lief from the appalling sItuationl
The flames, which were sprouting out
| OF the whole lows OF lower windows,
| hicked upon the sea OF upturned faces,
and yet more hIdeously upon his own,
which he felt to have grown of an ashy
| hue, while his heart was beating like a
steam pump
To add to his horror, the passengers
were alIghting from the eastern mail
I f.f, h.aI inst hafOra
the station, at the edge of the little
plaza, nearly opposite, and the second
one to touch the ground was woman
his sister Madge herself.
/ She looked terrified by the confusion
| Sarcasm of destinyl Had she come
at last, all the way from Ohio, with
nothing but love for him and hopeful
expectations IN her heart, only TO meet
his final glance, his fond brotherly
gaze, across this lurid depth, this sea
of flames?
YesI for even at that instant she
perceived him-recognized him-and
their looks met.
] His heart ceased its wild throbbings
and then stood still with sympathetic
anguish as he marked her bloodless
face. her frozen attitude, the indie
scribable horror III her dIlated eyes and
parted lips
Then the crowd undulated and yelled
as four stalwart men forced, punched
and shouldered their way through IL,
bearing two long house painters lad
ders spllced together, under the swift,
self possessed man who was knottlng,
even as ne gave his orders, a wetted
handkerchief over the lower part OF his
face as a protection against the sirocco
breath of the fire test upon which be
was about to enter.
In another minute the double ladder
was raised against the burning build
ing. -,
1t reached TO the window sill oi
Luke's ROOM