The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1892-06-23

morning when the laurel was In bloom
j and all the intervening, fEuitleGs. with
cred time had dropped away. The day
had sloped TO twilight. then melted into
darkness when be raised his head. for Z
strange sound had pierced the quiet street
through and through. II was the sound
Of many feet, the running Of men and
boysclose pressed. breathing hard. down
the roadway. Suddenly a church ball
changed out, then another and another.
He stepped to the window. opened Il and
thrust forth bis head into tho still even
ing air. A significant smell Of burning
came to his nostrils. the sound Of stealthy
cracking and swapping flames greeted
his ear just Is womans shrill voice BE-
gan to shrek. Fire! FireI'
A snaky red tongue shot up among
the apple trees close TO tho bounds. Of
Captain Bligh's garden. He looked
about bewildered for 4 moment tryi "
to get his bearings. Suddenly Il came
over him like q blow that the fire was
making Roadway In the l. part Of the
old Mayhem house. BE heard the en-
gines and hose carts rafting down the
street, but he never knew how be got
ont Of his house or scaled the interven-
ing fences and walls between his garden
and Vinie's home, BE saw at once the
fire was confined to the kitchen and
shed and had not yet attacked the main
building. The night was MINDLESS, and
the flames went straight up against the
sky with dense volumes Of smoke and
showers Of sparks that hung like lumi-
nous cloud just above the trees.
The fremen in their shiny black hats
and coats were getting two streams Of
water to play on the burning roof. some
Of them were mounted on ladders
knocking out windows and cutting holes
through the shingles. Attirst the stream
Of water few wide Of the mark and
dashed in among the branches Of tho
trees, but presently It took better aim;
the fire covered down IS the jets like Q
million writhing serpents Kissed on the
hot embers. It is the fashion In Little
field to run to fire, and Miss May
hew's lawn was filed with neighboTs
who could do nothing but get in each
others way, and were as glad to come as
II it had been a garden party. Ladies
ran out bareheaded and without wraps;
young men and maidens sat on the wall
looking at the blaze, and large CON-
pany Of boys roasted in the trees in front
Of the house. All the house doors were
wide OPan and neighbour were bringing
out the furniture, j0stling each other on
the steps and In the passages.
Absorbed as the people were with the
spectacle. there were some eyes sufficient
ly dlsengaged to note the presence Of
Captain Bligh's tall form on the ground.
There were silent nudges and "Well-did-
you-everS" whispered behind banda
Just rs 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 bad lost her
head and had thrown . toilet Get out Of
the window.
The crowd in front Of the house swayed
back. then parted. and two young men
came out bearing Miss Mayhem N her
armchair well wrapped In shawlA. A
they ueared 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 .
noise like thunder and all eyes were
turned that way.
Where are you goingT' the captain
asked in his brief. curt tones.
They told rs to take her TO fuckers,
next door"
Leave the lady to me-" and the tones
were again decisive. Il will sec that she
Is safely housed. You will BE- needed
back there at the ere"
The young fellows knew Captain Bligh
by sight and Judged him responsible
They were only too glad to get the Job
of their hands and to rush away into the
thick Of the excitement.
The captain picked up the chair % II u
had been a feather and strobe with Il
swiftly across the road. making long
slant to avoid the groups Of people who
were hanging over fences or thickly clu1-
tered together under the wayside trees.
They've got It under control he
heard one man cay. "and the main build
ing isn't so much e scorOhed. It's .
good thing to clean out the old rOOkeFy.
The insurance people will have 10 re-
build" The captain strobe on. with his
heart going like the piston Of steam en-.
gine and his strength redoubled, until
he came to a dark clump Of naples In .
lonely retired part Of the street, whor0
not cat was stirring. because every
body had run TO the Gre. Here be cot
down the chair. and STOPPING took Min
Mayhem in his arms. She was very
light. like q child Of ten Year,. Her oyes
were closed and her pale lids shonoin the
fitful CLEANS Of light he could feel no
puIsation Of the heart. Had she tainted
or was she dead-killed outright By the
excitement Of the tirel The thought
turned him cold from head 70 foot
There was only little pale moon Of .
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 b
pushed open with his foot, then gropod
his way with his burden through the IN
lighted passage, and turned in o. the
living room. where the glare Of the en-.
piring flames still Atfully illuminated
the windows. He laid her down on On
old couch in one corner Of the room,
then felt for match and . candle. and
when he had kindled q light he timtdly
approached the place where she lay.
Her eyes were still sealed. but the shawl
had fallen away, showing tho white hair
still in thick tresses and softly CURED q
the ends; the thin. delicate cheek. with