The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-11-29

Was she safe, or Heaven, what if she
were in that abyss OF flame!
Almost mad at the bare thought he
rushed frantically forward.
A scream reached his ear-the scream
of q woman-and for the first time he no.
ticed female figure close to the burning
mill. Tho glare and smoke kept him
from recognizing her, and, with his heart
leaping for joy, he bounded toward the
woman who was wringlng her hands
wildly.
When he reached her side he saw that
1t was Mrs. Richmond, not Carol.
Several other forms had darted from
the woods. and were hurrying toward the
spot where the lady stood. The leading
one he recognized as Lawrence Rich
mond, but beyond that he did not spare
the time to look.
"Carol-where is she?" he cried.
There was not a second to lose. The
poor lady could not speak, but raising
her hand she pointed to the blazing
building. 1t was enough.
'God help mel" fell from his shut
teeth.
Then, braclng 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 the top
he could see nothing, but cropping his
way along, he cried aloud:
"Carol, oh, Carol, my darling, where
are your"
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 the flames as they
fed upon the dry timbers of the old
mill.
He groped his way along passage
until he came to a door. 1t refused to
give way at his touch, and rendered des-
perate by the situation, he raised his
foot and sent it down with 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. ts;. -
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 me - Roger II loved
you-I believe in you now as 1 do in
Heaven p 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. have forgotten all-everything
but that 1 love you better than the whole
world. AS proof Of it, 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
was ready for the final plunge, and after
hastily wrapping several blankets about
the precious form Of the girl, who was
clad only in a loose wrapper of. her
mothers that she had thrown about her
when first awakened by the dense smoke,
he opened the door.
What terrible prospect: f:st
Tho 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 fiend
ish glee, lighted up both.
How was he ever going to run the
gauntlet with that precious burden in his
arms?
Was it possible to escape by the win
dow? One glance In that direction told
him that such thing could hardly be ac-
complished, in fact, that it was impossi-
BILE, for the fire was already glaring in
through the glass with evil eyes.
Drawing a long breath and pressing
Carol still closer to him, for he felt that
by this baptism of fire she was given to
him for all time and eternity, Roger
dashed boldly into the flames and down
the stairs.
Had he been alone he would have
taken flying leap to the bottom. and
very probably have como out almost un-
seathed; but now his progress was much
slower, and he received many a flash
from the tongues OF fame that darted out
this way and that.
Heaven knows how he passed through
that fiery ordeal! The consciousness
that he held in his arms all that made
life dear to him gave him additional
courage and strength.
Several times he heard what he fan
cied were the voices of men, hoarse and
loud, accompanied with rapid blows, but
he knew not what to make of them, not
being aware of the, fact that two mortal
souls We're locked in room near by, and
almost suffocated by the smoke and fire.