The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-06-09
TOM
BRYSON'S CRIME.
BY THE MAJOR"
CHAPTER XXI

IlOuSt ldo DCCA tiODth, alltt 14C hf--S
gone to his room.
But he knew that he could not sleep
so, instead of going to bed, he sat by
the open window. The night is mild,
as well as still; it seems to invite
thought. And he thinks-of her. He
can think of nothing else.
Long had he sat there, ghen he felt
himself urged by some powerful moni-
tor within. Voices seemed CRYING IN
his ears: ely to herl She is in dan
geal"
He hesitates, he resists. He says to
himself, Did she not, with her own
lips, tell me not to come to herr" And
again and again those mysterious
promptings seemed to fill his ears
ely to her. oh, delay not She is in
dangeri"
Whatever the influence was, whether
the warnings of his own heart or an
angel messenger from above, it speed
lily became too powerful to be resisted.
Quietly Tearing the house, he waited
only to bride his horse, and leaping
upon his bare back, he sped down the
road like the wind. The mysterious
NOitt5 III Ills tdl6 StCulCl w Vi l.
erl faster!" He shook the reins, and
shouted to his noble steed; there was
an answering neigh, and such tremen-
dous speed as would have unseated a
less expert rider As he tore along the
highway, bright glare above the
trees in the direction of Bryson' s
house met his eye. He chung to the
horse, and increasing its pace with his
cries, he turned into the lane, thun-
dered through the wood, and dashed
up to the flame wrapped house. lie
leaped to the ground just as Tom Bry-
son, singed by the fire and half-blinded
by the smoke, came staggering out at
the front door.
"Jessica where is she?" Belmont
cried.
The father shook his head, and
pointed in bewildered way up at the
upper windows.
Frantically did Belmont dash at the
door; but thick volume of smoke and
flame drove him back. With distracted
eye he marked the window of her room
for once he had stood in the hall above
outside her chamber, and more than
O4St SlIlCC Adti llC StdulltAt bIlt uuSlSli u
ly building, to see which window was
hers. The fire had not yet penetrated
beyond the story above the cellar. II
was rushing out from the doors and
windows below, but could the rooms
above be reached at all, it could only
be through envaloping smoke and fire.
in Gods name is there no ladder
here 2" Belmont cried to some of the
people who had come up.
"Oh, yes here's one that we have
Just brought around from the back OF
the house" replied one of them. "But
it's madness to go up there now"
Rear it up-quick!" was the com.
mand; and, impelled by stout arms,
the upper end of the heavy ladder lay
against the sill Of Jessica's window
The lover sprang up 1t, and burst
bodily through glass and sash. The
chamber was filled with smoke, and il
drove him back; but, filling his lung:
with fresh air, he leaped in again
Cropping blindly about, his hands en-
countered the water pitcher, with {
towel over it. He shook out the towel
plunged it in the water, and bound i
over his face. Able to breathe now
though the floor was trembling under
his feet, he found the bed. His HAND
rested on the maiden's face; but she
neither spoke nor stirred. Taking the
wet towel from his own face, he tied i
over hers; and clasping her motionles:
form in his arms, he made his way
again to the window; he emerged upor
the ladder, and holding his dear bur
den to his breast with one arm, he came
unsteadily to the ground, where eager
and willing hands relieved him of hi:
charge. Then, scorched and stifed
he fell unconscious, and was borne
away and laid upon the grass.
Quite crowd OF people had by
this time gathered, and the attention
of some of them was turned to the re
suscitation of the sufferers. Brysor
had inhaled smoke enough on his way
out of the burning building to Devil
der him so that he knew not what hat
happened; but when his head and fac.
had been bathed IN water, and some 0
it forced down his throat, he sat NJ
and looked about him. The crackln.
flames we're right before him. With
startling scream he leaped to his feet
and started to run toward the house
Strong hands seized him and held hin
back.
Fool, where would you go?" on
asked him. do you want to throy
yourself into destruction ?"
Let me go! It's burning up
1cill save It'll" he yelled. His eye
glared like the eyes of maniac, an
the strength of one seemed to posses
him. Half dozen men threw them
selves upon him, striving to piniol
him down. With one superhuman eff
fort he tore himself loose from then
all, and rushed to the house. A cry O
horror followed him as he disappeare,
from sight through the flaming door
way. The eye OF man never behel
him again.
The flames swept swiftly through til
house, and burst out at the roof. Wit
a great crash it fell, sending up a vol
ume of sparks. The ruins were fierce
ly consumed, and ere morning nothin
but the foundation stones, the stone
of the cellar, and pile of gray ashe
were left of the old Brvson house.
In time the spot itself was lost t
mems knowledge. The stones wer
removed; new soil replaced the ruins
year after year crops covered the place
the peoples recollection of the oil
house grew dim; and now, almost sixt
years after, the exact location of tn
place has passed from the memory c
the few aged survivors of the event
which we have been recording.
But over and over again has tn
truth of the saying been proved, "Mui
der will out" In what way the secret
of the old house were brought to hgh'
is yet to be related.
CHAPTER Xxi
HOPES AND FEARS
The efforts of the few women VIII
had come to the scene of the contiagrf
ton to revive Jessica met with but Iii
tie success at the time. The coo
breeze blowing across her face ate
she was borne from the burning build
ing snd wrapped in shawls, gave her