The Penn's Grove record., 1888-02-25

| lCko CudlDCus
He tottered back from the u~nsucccss.
full attempt, and managed 10 make a
despairing gesture,
Then there was a woman's shrek OF:
Luke, Luke, my brother! il you can
not come down to me, I shall go up to
you. We will at least die togetherl''
and Madge's foot was upon the first
rung Of the ascent.
She vas snatched away by the man
with the wet handkerchief oyer his
face.
He gave her one look from his in.
domitable eyes, thrust her in the arms
of one Of his assistants, and was then
seen, in spite of his powerful and
heavy frame, shining up the ladder
with the agility of a squirrel.
"It's Springfield" shouted O chorus
OF voices; "~Springsteel risking his life
for the only man who eve insnlted him
and livedl Hurrah for Springfield
Grant," And the cheers were roared
out again and again.
Luke Baldwin had also recognized
him FROM the first. His rescuer had
sped up through che flame tongues
vomiting from the intervening stories,
apparently without a singing, and was
now on the next TO the topmost round,
just beyond the window ledge.
"Can you COM ont to me1" he
called hoarsley.
Luke shook his head.
81 know il looks babyish," he
gasped, but l positively can't. Per-
haps it's the smoke have swallowed,
perhaps it's the heat, but / feel myself
p~aralyzed."
Without another word, the rescuer
bounded into the room.
The photograph caught his eye, and
his first movement was to slip it into
his pocket.
"Here, you'll grip your hands under
my chin,' he exclaimed, harshly,
"Therep' and with q STOPPING wrench
he had the young mans inert body
glued to his own broad back. "Freeze
where you are now, or we are both
goners."
A fresh, roaring cheer greeted bis
temperance upon the ladder, hands
and feet foremost to the rungs, and
with Luxe Baldwin sagging between
his shoulders like a bag of meal.
In three minutes thereafter Luke
was In his sisters arms, ladder and
facade had fallen IN together amid the
llrid emptiness of the fire Quilted hotel,
and Springfield had mixed with the
crowd, after unceremoniously wrench.
ing his hand from the grateful young
woman's soft palmed grasp.
At evening of that day Luke sat up,
greatly restored, but still weak lunged
and suffering, in the h%ospitable bed of
an adjoining hotel, to which sympa.
thizing a~cquaintances had assisted his
sister in covering him.
Madge was sitting at his side.
Many condolences had been exchanged
between them before he had been doc.
tored into the fnsenslbility from which
he 10 awoke refreshed, and her beau.
tiful face lighted up at the change.
"Ah, you are much better"
"Yes, Madge, Go1 be praisedl"
81 am glad of that"
"Of course you are, you dear, darl-
ing old grill though 1 had a close call
the closest, save one-that l ever
had, or may ever have again."
81 am glad not only for ourselves.
Luke, but-for something else."
what is thatP"
1.-THE brave man who rescued you;
he is coming here to see you"
"Ohl' And Luke moved a little
uneasily.
Eyes; in answer to my earnest in.
quiries and persistent messages, he at
last sent word that he would come.
He ought to be here now"
Her brother made no answer.
"What did you say his name was,
LukeP"
"Springsteel. We used to be pards
up at the Scorpion, but we've re-
Gently had IA c0olness."
"Ah! so much more noble his devo-
tion in your hour of need, then"
Eyes, I should rather say So"
"Springsteell Yes. that was the
name 80 many shouted out as he was
running up the ladder. What an odd
name. and a real pretty and m~anfully
significant one; tool"
"Well-er-it's only a nickname,
You know"
"But Ididn't know. A nickname2"
"Yes; most old timers have 'em
hereabouts. l suppose he got his from
-from-well, you see, though Spring
steel is strictly square, and has made
his little pile honestly and by logged
hard work, he's also been IA sort of
desperate character, you might say"
"Oh, dear!"
"Oh, mind you, Madge, don't mean
anything criminal, anything vicious,
you understand, though he may have
stocked Il private graveyard of his own,
but only-only he's been in tough
places, and no man ever got the drop
on him yet. Oh you understand"
"Only too well. Pm afraid" With
a little sigh. "How unfortunatel But
what Is his real name?"
Before Luke could answer there was
a knock at the door, and sthe man they
were talking about stood before them.
Madge had shrunk back, with her
face the hue of death, and then she
took a step forward, her trembling
hands extended, amaZemeut in her
eyes, a brilliant color surging in her
face.
"Grsnt-Grant Battersbyl /" she ex.
claimed.
He bowed with a rather poor attempt
at GOODNESS,
"Madge," he began. III recog-
nized you this morning. But before
that had known you were Luke's Sis
ter, through a mere accident-th's
picture" He produced the one snatched
from the blazing room, together with
another, much worn, as though by
long ~treasuring. representing her also,
but at least ten years younger. MAY
be you would like to compare the two,
Madge."
"How young l was then; how l have
changed" she murmured, hardly glanc-
ing at the photos.
You are more beautiful than everl''
he burst out, and then checked himself.
"Ayl-by the way, you were Madge
Barkmore then"
mo; l went by the name of a capri
cious old aunt, who was bringing me
up, or rather out, while my brother
here, a little boy then, had a home
with his uncle, our dead fathers
brother"
dAht then yOu-you npvar marriad