San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-25

and coats We're getting two streams or
water to play on the burning roof Sonl
of them were mounted on ladders
knocking out windows and cutting holes
through the shingles. AT first the stream
of water flew wide of the mark and
dashed in among the branches of the
trees, but presently it took better aim;
the fire covered down as the jets like a
million writhing serpents Kissed ON the
hot embers. 1t is the fashion in Little
field to run" to fire, and Miss May
hew's lawn was filed with neighbors
who could do nothing but get in each
others way, and were as glad to come as
if it had been garden party. Ladies
ran out bareheaded and without wraps;
| young men and maidens sat on the wall
looking at the blaze, and large COM
pany of boys roasted in the trees in front
of the house. All the house doors were
wide open and neighbors were bringing
out the furniture, jostling each other on
the steps and in the passages.
Absorbed as the people were with the
spectacle, there were some eyes sufficient
ly disengaged to note the presence of
Captain Bligh's tall form ON the ground.
There were silent nudges and "Well-did-
you-evers'' whispered behind hands.
Just as the captain was pushing his way
toward the door there was crash of
falling crockery from above. The cap
tain looked up and saw it was one of
those giddy Wood girls, who had lost her
head and had thrown toilet set out OF
the window.
The crowd in front of the house swayed
back, then parted, and two young men
came out bearing Miss Mayhem in her
armchair well wrapped in shawls. AS
they neared the gate with their burden
the captain, who had followed with long
strides, stepped in front of them. Just
then the roof of the l. part fell in with a
noise like thunder and all eyes were
turned that way.
"Where are you going?" the captain
asked in his brief, curt tones.
They told us to take her to fuckers,
next door,"
leave the lady to me-" and the tones
were again decisive. 81 will see that she
is safely housed. You will be needed
back there at the fire."
The young fellows knew Captain Bligh
by sight and judged him responsible.
They were only too glad to get the job
off their hands and to rush away into the
thick of. the excitement.
The captain picked up the chair as if it
had been a feather and strobe with it
swiftly across the road, making long
slant to avoid the groups of people who
were hanging over fences or thickly clus-
tered together under the wayside trees.
They've got it under CONTROL" he
heard one man say, land the main build
| ing isn't so much as scorched. It's a
good thing to clean out the old rookery.
The insurance people will have to re-
build" The captain strobe on, with his
heart going like the piston of steam en-
| CINE and his strength redoubled, until
he came to dark clump of naples in
lonely retired part of the street, where
! not a cat was stirring, because every
body had run to the fire. Here he set
down the chair, and STOPPING took Miss
Mayhem in his arms She was very
light, like child of ten years. Her eyes
were closed and her pale lids shone in the
fitful CLEANS of light. He could feel no
pulsation of the heart. Had she tainted
| or was she dead-killed outright by the
excitement of the fire? The thought
turned him cold from head to foot
There was only little pale moon of a
face to be seen through the shawl in
| in which her head was swathed.
He carried her swiftly through the
\ dark street to his own door, which he
pushed open with his foot, then CROPPED
his way with his burden through the I'M
| lighted passage, and turned in at the
living room. where the glare of the ex-
piring flames still fitfully illuminated
| the windows. He laid her down on an
| old couch in one corner/of the room,
then felt for match and candle, and
when he had kindled light he timidly
| approached the place where she lay.
| Her eyes were still sealed, but the shawl
had fallen away, showing the white hair
still in thick tresses and softly curled at
the ends; the thin, delicate cheek. with
its refined contour, pale as marble; the
blue veining OF the lids, the sunken
temples, the forehead that seemed
touched with sanctity, as if a martyrs
crown rested upon it; the sensitive
mouth drawn slightly with pain, but
still bearing the trace of infinite sweet
ness and patience.
The beauty of that face so far trans
cending the loneliness of the young girl o
; whom he had been dreaming that afte.
noon seemed to press George Bligh t,
his knees, and hard, dry sots shook hi