New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-16
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| made all haste to the courtyard. The fire WAS
in the opposite wing. and had ~ yet made little
way. Though flames were bursting through t"o
of the lower windows. and beginning To lex the
woodwork of the upper ones, the rest even OF that
wing was untouched. But the scene rs took II
IN az "a glance was exciting enough. Ia the middle
Of the courtyard q score of men and women. some
Of them only half dressed, were huddlcd together.
mass OF silhoucttes, of high Nights and deep
shadows one WAS sums IN >tupOr, another WAS
in frantic action. Above and around. tie glow
ic.l ruddiiy on the tall face OF the tower and the
sharp peaks Of gables and picked ont IS with gold
the thousand diamond pancs of the windows
" let all the women go INTO the west Wing |
heard Walton SAY. IN cool COLLECTED Way.hs sharp
voice rising crisply above the hubbub They
will be safe there. and they are doing 10 good
here Brett. take BESSIE IN. please
] ohcfcd. When returned found things look
inr better. number % servants. with l;n-ot
IN command. were already m line passing huck'is.
Others were throwing water ON the nearer parts
Of the building. for much of the danger 10 the
rest of the house lay IN the falling sparks but
apart from This there was every chance that va
should save the old place. despite It's a-c. the
iirc was mainly IN the great kitchen. one OF the
oldest parts Of the Court huiit of stone and paved
with the same: that. after licking up >oiuo
surface material. the flames found little 10 feed
upon. and view slow m spreading.
Look 80 said Walton 10 fac-l had taken my
tuIu but soon tined. and We were standing
somewhat IN The rear. directing operations" how
That fellow works Bagot Las done his best -
save his own place. but that man beats him hol-
low
lie pointed TO the man who had taken Bagoi's
place at the head of the line. and who now
stripped 10 his Jersey and trousers was standing
with one foot on reversed tub the other on the
sill of the window. dlscharglng the buckets into
the room fast they could be- handed 10 him
To see him take them full and toss them back
empty, like many toys, sight Tor sore
eyes Sometimes the smoke and steam which
edited about him hid HIM from view. but when
The wind dispersed the cloud be- WAS always th,rc
More than once cheer from the gathering crowd
OF villagers rewarded him. Ills face WAS black
with smnts, his hair vas singcd his port was that
of hero. No wonder that | did not recognize
him. that ! took him tor one of the siablcmcn or
gardeners, and answered. Yes, lac is working like
u giant. WHO Is he ''
Don't You know p" exclaimed The Squire " II
is Sciion's man. He shall have Il fNe-pound note
tomorrow Aye. and stay here as long ne
likes Jane viii have nothing to say against him
after this, | Will lay penny
Iagot had joined rs, and, hearing the last
words stood frowning b., my side. No doubt 1t
was unpleasant to stand by and see rlNal-and
such "a rival-distugui,h himself. Iiut LIE said
nothing And sad nothing for what WAS there
Yet | was greatly asronishcd The fnickirs
supcrcous young fellow whom we had known rs
Fred Was the Last person ! Should have expected
10 be- OF use IN such an emergency Landing
buckets at y tire and lighting the famcs-thr>c
were not things | had pictured him doing Vet
here he was doing them, maniully and well.
Either had been much mistaken IN him. or
he had some very strong induccncnt 10 act in
this way. Was 1t the knowledge that BESSIE was
at one of the windows, watching the scene or
merely desire To put her father under an oblisa-
tion or both combined?
Anyway. his cNcrtions proved successful The
fire was as good rs ont and many of TIE helpers
falling hdcn and standing round us, the talk naiu-
rally reverted To its origin. There IS got very
much damage done. sir. think. said wilkins.
So" replied tine Squire scnially-his relief
was great. For wonder there Is not But If
tie fire had broken ont anywhere else. the house
must have gone. Why, half the walls are of tim
bcr and rs dry rs touchwood.
How did II 10 break ont AT all ~ asked
Eaeot ENORMOUSLY. And in the kitchen. The
fires in this hot weather would he out hours ago.
would they not
" Ten 10 one the cook was making Jam, or some
thiur Of that kind. said the Squire confidently.
But the cook rcpudiacd the I-making. as
sorting roundly that she had LET the fires go ont
after dishing up the dinner The servants had
taken a cold supper The butler, too, had been
through the kitchen at half-past / and locked
che doors. The fires were out then. lie had ear
ricd guarded lamp, as usual and was certain
that he had dropped no sparks.
Well said the Squire on this, we will go
into il Tomorrow And he led the way 10 the
billiard roon where the ladies' were sitting. For
a few moments after our entrance what with the
hubbub of congratulations inquiries. and offers of
rc(rcshmcnt, and some badinagc on our dirty faces.
il was hard who was in the room and who
,vos not Mr. Walton the first 10 note that
one was missing Where is BESSIE he cried
loudy. Where is tine girl gone? ,"
She came in at that moment. and answered for
herself Here am father she 50 ssa 1n T Wrs
Walton making room for her on the settle what
have YOU been doing r'
" Doing? Thanking Fred for his gallantry,
ebc answered her color rising, her tone animated
And | think there are some others who should
have done it, too instead of leaving him without
:. word, He has behaved nobly, think
Bravo. lie shall have hvc-ponnd note to-
morrow, :" answered the Squire.
I'M she was not looking at her father. Her
owes were turned full on Iiapot, with n meaning in
them | could not fathom. II might he appeal. or
sympathy or dciiancc-ciihcr. But whatever il
was his eyes returned no answer. and hers quickly
droppcd Some remarked that h. looked bag
gard and tired; and leaving MRS. linsard IN the
middle Of her tenth recital Of the manner in
which she had been aroused, and of all that she
had said. and all that Lngard had said took
him away with me
This is likely 10 put old puzzle into the
background" ! said. eycng him stcalthiy rs we
ploldcd upstairs together.
VIVA; Tie fire?
"ro bc sure. What else ~
/" II is all one, was his curious answer.
You do not mran.' said. that yon think"
"SeftOns servant was at the bottom of II