The Red Cloud chief., 1888-12-07

OVn uS.V 1Ss ~ o6SA1Gs S3hA 08fFJ
. ThiS was the arst time hat either Of shei
For all reply she pressed his hand m
q turned her fsce calmly and trussiaily NJ
. his
9 Had IL boen Harry's as. second on hi
g earth, and he conscious OF IL. he could nc
: have he.pei kissing her then.
e "ForSive, me. my darling" be said. hoars
~; hut love you with al nv heart"
o and I love you with all mine" said Nina
simply. Then suddenly she cried: '-Qaics
There is o trap door in that corner: you ca
r reach IL Sy standing on the drawers"
: Needing no second bidding. he .eauet q
on % the drawers. an1 having fe!; for III
trardoor. struggled with MI his might =
Z orea il. II was fastened on the inside Wit!
/. Q bolt. which from long disusc had bccoI1'
completely rusted into its socket Twice b.
, put forth all the strength he could get Z,
bear On the little knot, only 20 lacerate hi
hands without being able 10 stir the fa-ien
ing. As he gathered himself together for
third try. Nina thrust o garien hammer into
his hand. II was a SINAI but fairly heavy
one, which she used for mailing up the creep
ers. a few blows with this. another pull,
the Dol, yielaed. and Harry threw back the
trap. Sitting in the opening, he pulled Nina
up 10 his own level. and they were both on
the roof.
Except for a little gable in the middle, the
roof was fiat. On ore side and under the
turret was the blazing house: but on the
other. some twenty feet lower, Was the roo!
Of the laundry, which. being TO windwart.
had 80 far entirely escaped the confiagration.
a water-pipe, standing Oh, about two inches
from the wall. took the DRAWINGS from the
gutter round the turret 10 a small rain
water cistern fixed against the wal. just
above the laundry. II WAS down this that
they must 20.
To climb down twenty feet By a small
water pipe with only one hand and your
legs to hold on by. and 20 supper: = 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 10 ptSforn the
descent safely. Only when. about half way
| down. first his legs and then his hand came
in contact with an iron support 10 the pipe,
did ne feel "a mOmentary pain. And no
wonder: for passing through the wall and
being ciinched on the inside, it was nearly
red hot. \ great tongue Of fame shooting
out from one Of the side windows enabled
those below TO see what was happening. 4
!0uutE WAY Iis.Ctu oS0llSt u io1Aus wall
and amidst Justly cheers they were quickly
half helped. half carried in safety 20 the
ground.
Thanks 70 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
lookers-on and ordered him to bed at the
Eagle at once, while he himself hurried on
for the lotion and other necessaries 70 dress
his Wounds.
The ladies were accommodated with beds
or ''shakedowns' at the vicaragc; the gen.
tlemen had plenty to do in helping their
host and his servants. or course, next u
nothing could be saved from the house; it
was enough to be thankful for thai NO lives
had been lost. The horses were biindfolded
and led away; the carriages and harness
We're also saved. Then IL was decided to |
destroy a great straw stack lest the wind
siiouid shift and the fire he communicated
To that and thence 10 the lodge. BY this
time all the village was afoot, so that there
was no lack Of hands. A groom had been |
dispatched for the fire engine al the first
alarm, and meanwhile a couple Of garden !
hose Were played on the fire, but without
any apprcciab.e result. About dawn the |
engine arrived, and commenced operations
on the slowly-subsiding confiagrati0n.
Though il was kent only four miles from !
Aliingsford. 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" Ii was broad day ere Sir John. his
brother. and guests, having done all that
men could do. and thankei-the villagers for |
their willing help both verbally and prac- !
tically-this last by having u cask Of treble
y broachcd in the yard-drove of 10 Lord
Gran6wor;h's, who had placed his house q:
their disposal.
SO il came about that the Baronct spent
his Christmas morning in bed. In the after.
noon ne rode over Ia see Harry. calling at
the vicaragc on his way. Here. clad mostly
in dressing gowns. the ladies' from AllinSs.
ford House received him in remarkably !.
high spirits, Notwithstanding that they had
all tEe~iIposscsions. Only Nina. in one
u the Wears daughters dresses. accom-
him TO the ruins. which were still
smoking ~su!lily. II WAS not an inspiriting
and they soon turned their steps in
TIE direction of the village. DR.. Brown met
them at the door Of the inn with "A crave
face, and said, in reply To Sir Johns in
luiry after his patient: Not So we'll rs !
could wish, by any means: the burns Were
bad enough, and now a fever has come to
rompiica;e matters. he seems To have n
splendid constitution, though, and that's
half the battle. I shall telegraph Ia London
FOR ii nurse. and we ought Ia pull him
through liz a fortnight"
"But what shall You do till the nurse
.omes." asked Nina.
That he replied. lis Just what I was
Ia. Can you spare me Mrs. HEX.
ey:" (sirs. Hicaiey wasthc housckcvpcr,
''Shc can be depended upon. and will lie
ible 10 carry out ny intentions better than
he people at the inn"
TAKE her and one o! the maids. too.
doctor. il you like" said Sir John. NINA,
;ou 60 and see about IL" |,
'Shan't we send a message. unclc.r said
Iina. Then you and | will wait in the
Eagle till they come: and if any thing /.
wanted, l can do it"
Perhaps that would he best said the
Il am going TO the vicaraee. and
yi!l Oe the messenger ny self. But irs;
'ome up and see him"
They entered The inn and went up stairs
O the sick ROOM. the doctor leading the :
way. As he opened the door he held his
10 his lips as = sign for them To b.
Captain Melville was sleeping
/,
splendid :" said the doctor "a soon q.
hey were outside again. But I take no
aredit 10 myself. A good constitution.
hats what's done it, II he only sleeps on I
or q couple OF hours now hc is rs good as
Now I must be Of There is some
cup being made for him down stairs. He
ught 20 have il the moment he wakes. In