Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-07-20
PREFERRED BY FATE
BY EMMA $. SOUTHWORTH.
Copyright 1Sss. by Laird & Lee.

There was not a scccnG to lose. The poor lady could not speak, but raising her hand she pointed to the blazing building It was enough.
 "God help me!' fell from his shut teeth.
 Then, bracing himself like giant pre- pairing for mighty battle, he rushed for. ward, hurling himself through the barrier of fierce flames that crossed their angry tongues before the doorway.
 He found the stairs more from instinct than sight, as the place was full of smoke. Up he went with great leaps. At tho top he could see nothing, but groping hie way along, he cried aloud:
 "Carol, oh, Carol, my darling, where are you?"
 Oh, the bitterness in his voice! It spoke of heart-breaking, racking pain, but there came no answer save the roar ing and cracking of tho flames as they fed upon the dry timbers of the old mill.
 He groped his way along a passage until he came to door. It refused to give way at his touch, and rendered des- perate by the situation, he raised his foot and sent it down with a crash.
 Entering, he found the interior full of smoke, and yet it was more bearable than out in the hall, because of the closed door. s.
 A slender figure arose and staggered toward him. With cry he held out his arms for her.
 "Carol. my love, my life, thank God you are alive!" he cried, as he folded her in his arms and crushed her to his heart. "You - forgive mo - Roger-I loved you-I believe in you now as l do in HeaveR" the poor girl gasped, her first thought at this time, when death seemed so near, being of the abyss that had sep arated them.
 "Hush, darling, Heaven will forgive us both. I have forgotten all-everything s but that I love you better than the whole world. As proof of 1t, witness me here to save or die with you" He had shut the door in order to keep out the dense volume of smoke until he l was ready for the final plunge, and after hastily wrapping several blankets about | the precious form of the girl, who was clad only in Q loose wrapper of her mothers that she had thrown about her when first awakened by the dense smoke, l 00 Opeu0u Luc uOOI.
 What terrible prospect!
 The hall and stairway were still full of smoke, but he would no longer have to grope his way along either, for the ruddy flames, dancing and forking out their di- abolical red tongues, as though in tiend. lsh glee, lighted up both. l How was he ever going to run the gauntlet with that precious burden in his arms?
 Was it possible to escape by tho win. dow? One glance in that direction told him that such thing could hardly bo ac complished, in fact, that it was impossi ble, for the fire was already glaring ir through the glass with evil eyes.
 Drawing a long breath and pressing Carol still closer to him, for he felt tha by this baptism of fire she was given tt him for all time and eternity, Rogel dashed boldly into the flames and dowI the stairs.
 Had he been alone he would hay, taken a flying leap to the bottom. an' very probably have como out almost un scathed; but now his progress was mucl slower, and he received many flasl from the tongues of flame that darted ou this way and that.
 Heaven knows how he passed througl that fiery ordeal! The consciousness that he held in his arms all that mad life dear to him gave him additiona courage and strength.
 Several times he heard what he fan cied were the voices of men, hoarse an' loud, accompanied with rapid blows, bu he knew not what to make of them, no being aware of the fact that two morts souls were locked Ill a room noar by, an almost suffocated by the smoke and fire