The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-03-18
How IT CAME ABOUT.
CHAPTER I.

Ing?" Cir filth Stenlake inquired OIL his
better half.
lam! Oh, I don't want your escort!
Pm going with Mrs. Jackson I'll take
cab and call for her on my way"
"All right, my dear I'll turn into my
den. as ! have some writing to do"
So to his particular sanctum in the front
basement be betook himself in due course.
Not to write, however. but TO the COM
panionsnip OF a strange, shabby-genieei IN
diyidual, who was consuming whisky and
water and smoking a pipe. and OF whose
presence in the house Mrs. Stenlake had
not the faintest conception.
Griffith Sienlake had married a widow
with two little girls They had not been
very happy during the past year Their
attitude toward each other might aptiy be
described as an armed neutrality.
TIL now he had successfully secreted
from her the shabby man in his den (Which
she never iuiruded upCn), tie said shabby
Individual being no less person than
man in possession.
Griffith. in his INDECENT fashion, was stu
dent II character. This man amusef him.
He found him peeping between the Yene-
tians, apparently trying 10 get a glimpse
of that lady as she went OUT az the 'front.'
door.
.Don't let yourself be seen. for goodness
sakew cried Griffith.
"AU right. sir, I'm sure l don't want to
be-" the brokers' man replied. very quietly,
but as he turned Stenlake noted strange
look in his face.
Your wife, sir? She's a very pretty
woman"
"Ob, don't mind me, sir. She brings back
tomemoTy some one once knew"
"A fame Y
'Yes-well, no l suppose you'd be aston
ished TO hear I'd ever been. anything differ
ent from bum 5ai!if?'
mo, Mr.. -. BY the way, what is your
name?"
we'll enough for me at present. l suppose
you'd lie surprised to hear I'd been a soiic-
itor once? ! simply sank gracefully into
oblivion. Only about four years ago the
final crash took place, ana all because l was
too trusttul for this world
cit was all through a lady, who came to
me representing that she vas eutitl d TO a
large fortune. She told me she did not wish
10 take proceedings 10 the matter at on ce,
as there was young man IN love with her
who would not propose &c her II he knew II,
lest it might be thought lie wanted her for
her money.
q believed this romantic tale, and adj
vaaced heT--weH, nearly every penny had
in the world.
THEN She evanted, and mad to face my
wife and little children aud tell them they
were beggaTs. She was furious and she left
me, takIu tie little ones. / became a PEN
niless waDdeTeT / sank lower and lower,
until l have found my level"
lie stopped speaking. Griffith was
thoughtful. and there was long silence be-
tween them.
Mr.. Stenlake e0ughed aud winked. The
man IN possession did the same. Griffith
opened tie door, nj at the same moment
the seryant-mald came positively flying
down the stairs, wildly shTieking:
Fire. Fret
"Halloaw SAID Bill Sangster. starting up.
his uttrrance a little thick, for he had all
sOrbed nearly as much whisky as was good
for him. WHATS this? And the children?
Where are they?
in the TOP front ROOM" Stenlake re-
Piled, nechani cally.
lie was not person gifted with presence
oil mind, but the idea struck HIN al the time,
how did this man know there were children
in the house?
Sangster had not stopped to think. He
had rushed upstairs, and Griffith, going
after, met him coming down again. THE
fires in therc! he exclaimed tie doc rs
locked! Where's the key?"
Il don't know. We locked them in for
safety. l don't know where my W ife put
Janet he yelled, rushing into the
Kitchen, a hammer, Ratchet, or some
thing to burst the door open with, for the
love OF heayenr
Jane had fled up the street to give the
alarm, but Sanger soon found kitchen
chopper armed with which he ran upstairs
again.
Quick, quick! or it will be too late. The
devouring flames are fast gaining ground.
The door is flying in splinters. The smoke
and flames burst out, but he is inside.
All this happened in a very few minutes,
and by that time the engines were there
and playing on the house
In twlnkiing the ladder is set up and
one OF the men IS ascending It. AT the win
dow he can sec blackened form illuminated
by the glare of the flames, holding in either
arm teri fed little girl.
The fireman caught them and babe their
preseryer descend. But somehow mis- foot
slipped and he fell backward.
Then there was crash The flooring of
the upper story had given way. and brave
Bill Sangster was buried beneath the ruins
III
The fire has been mastered. The damage
was confined 10 the two upper stories, and
ruins were sulenly smoldering.
After infinite exeTtiOn Sangster has been
extrieated aud carried into Stenlake's den.
The first words he uttered were to ask for
TIE children.
just then cab drove up to the door. and
lady IN evening dress alighted. 1t was
Mrs. Stenlake.
Oh vi min! SIZE cfleu, lnc0nerenuy, as
she ran iutO the house, what is thi S
Where are The children ?"
Safe. thank goodnessI Come in here.
Mary. TEis is the brave fellow to whom
We owe tleir lives"
She came into the little room. and started
back on seeing the blackened figure lying
upon the couch.
Where did you come from?" she said at
last in an aweG whisper.
Il am the man in possession" he an
swered with faint smile, putting an arm
round each Of the little girls.
Yes little money l owed" StenlakC
remarked weakly.
81 Thought You were dead che cnntin