The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-12-08

had spoken.
For all reply she pressed This hand ant
turned her face calmly and trustfully up Il
his.
Had It been Harry's last second on thi,
earth, and he conscious of IL, ho could no,
have helped kissing her then.
| "Forgive me, my darling" he snid, hoarse
ly; but love you with all my heart"
| "And I lovo you with oil mine," said Nina,
simply Then suddenly she cried: "Quicls
There is trap door in that corner; you can
reach 1t by standing on the drawers"
| Needing no second bidding, he leaned up
on to the drawers, and having felt for the
trapdoor, struggled with all his might TO
open 1t. II was fastened on the inside with
bolt, which from long disuse had become
completely rusted into its socket Twice he
put forth all the strength he could get to
bear on the little knob, only to lacerate his
hands without being able to stir the fasten-
ing. As he gathered himself together for a
third try, Nina thrust a garden hammer into
his hand. 1t was small but fairly heavy
one, which she used for mailing up the creep
ers. A few blows with this, another pull,
the bolt yielded, and Harry threw back the
trap. Sitting in the opening, he pulled Nina
up to his own level, and they were both on
tho roof.
Except for a little gable In the middle the
roof was fiat. On one side and under the
turret was the blazing house; but on the
other, some twenty feet lower, was the roof
of the laundry, which, being to wipdward,
had so far entirely escaped the conflagration.
A water-pipe, standing out about two inches
from the wall, took the DRAWINGS from the
gutter round the turret to small rain
water cstern fixed against the wall just
above the laundry. 1t was down this that
they must go.
To climb down twenty feet by small
water pipe with only one hand and your
legs to hold on by, and to support lady
with the other, is no easy feat even for
strong man and an athlete, and Harry was
neither. But love and desperation gave him
both strength and skill to perform the
descent safely. Only when, about halfway
down, first his legs and then his hand came
in contact with an iron support to the pipe,
did he feel momentary pain. And no
wonder; for passing through the wall and
being clinched on the inside, it was nearly
red hot. A great tongue of flame shooting
out from one of the side windows enabled
those below to see what was happening.
ladder was placed against the laundry wall,
and amidst Justly cheers they were quickly
half helped, half carried in safety to the
ground.
Thanks to the blanket, Nina had escaped
nearly scot free, but Harry Melville was
badly, though perhaps not dangerously,
hurt. His left hand in particular was ter
ribly buried. The doctor was among the
and ordered him to bed at the
Eagle at once, while he himself hurried off
for the lotion and other necessaries to dress
his wounds.
The ladies were accommodated with beds
or "shakedowns" at the vicarage; the gen.
tlemen had plenty to do in helping their
host and his servants. OF course, next to
nothing could be saved from the house; it
was enough to be thankful for that no lives
had been lost. The horses were blindfolded
and led away; the carriages and harness
were also saved. Then it was decided to
destroy great straw stack lest the wind
should shift and the fire be communicated
to that and thence to the lodge. BY this
time all the village was afoot, so that there
was no lack Of hands. A groom had been
for the fire engine at the first
alarm, and meanwhile couple of garden
hose were played on the fire, but without
any appreciable result. About dawn the
engine arrived, and commenced operations
on the slowly y-subsiding conhagration.
Though it was kept only four miles from
Allingsford, the "man who understood it'
slept nearly six further on, whereby, as the
obstructionist town councillor observed at
the next meeting, considerable time was
lost" 1t was broad day ere Sir John. his
brother, and guests, having done all that
men could do and thanked the villagers for
their willing help. both verbally and prac-
tically-this last by having cask of treble
X broached in the yard-drove off to Lord
Grandworth's, who had placed his house at
their disposal.
So it came about that the Baronet spent
his Christmas morning in bed. In the after
noon he rode over to see Harry, calling at
the vicarage on his way. Here, clad mostly
in dressing gowns, the ladies from Allings.
ford House received him in remarkably
high spirits Notwithstanding that they had
lost all their possessions. Only Nina, in one
of the wears daughters dresses. accom-
panied him to the ruins, which were still
smoking sulkily. 1t was not an inspiriting
sight, and they soon turned their steps in
the direction of the village. DR.. Brown met
them at the door of the inn with grave
face, and said, in reply to Sir Johns in
quiry after his patient: "Not so well as
could wish, by any means; the burns were
bad enough, and now fever has come to
complicate matters. He seems to have
splendid constitution, though, and that's
half the battle shall telegraph to London
for nurse, and we ought to pull him
through in a fortnight"
"But what shall you do till the nurse
comesl" asked Nina.
"That," he replied. sis just what i was
coming to. Can you spare me Mrs. Hick-
leyn Mrs. Hickey was the housekeeper.)
''She can be depended upon, and will be
able to carry out my intentions better than
the people at the inn"
"Take her and one Of the maids, too,
doctor, if you like" said Sir John. "Nina,
you 60 and see about it."
"Shan't we send message, unclel" said
Nina. "Then you and l will wait in the
Eagle till they come; and if any thing is
wanted, / can do it."
perhaps that would be best" said the
doctor. ~ am going to the vicarage, and
will be the messenger myself. But first
come up and see him.
They entered the inn and went up stairs
TO the sick-room, the doctor leading the
way. AS he opened the door he held his
finger to his lips as sign for them to be
silent. Captain Melville was sleeping
soundly.
"Splendidn said the doctor as soon as
they were outside again. "But l take no
credit to myself. A good constitution,
that's what's done it, If he only sleeps on
for couple of hours now he is as good as
cured. Now must be Off There is some
soup being made for him down stairs He
ought to have it the moment he wakes. In
fact, Miss Darlington, think that the best
plan would be to keep in the room on the
hob"
"Uncle," said Nina, as soon as he had