San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-04-11


Inward or utward-inward into that
fiery furnace, or outward toward the
quiet frosty air of night-the sailors
could not see.
They rushed on more eagerly, but this
time without the cheer.
Only the braveSt, with Commodore
Holman himself at their head, dared
face the flames and touch the scOrching
heat to seel; for that escaping figure
they had seen.
They found him lying without, under
the great windOw-a man, and in his
arms burned and blackened thing. 1t
might be, they thought, woman.
They carried them away where the
air was cool and the crisp frost was an
melted on the grass. The man Jreathed
and moaned. No one knew mis- face,
masked with black smoke.
With the neighbors, Mrs. Dewitt now
came running up and joined the group.
"See!" said she, with shudder. This
was my mistress. She always wore this
diamond on her neck in the evening.
She is dead. No; she breathes.'
Yes: there was the gem, showing red
reflections of the flames. An hour ago
the woman had been beauty, and the
diamond point of admiration. saying.
Mark this white neck and this fair
bosom" Now it made the utter ruin
there more pitiful.
Some one led forward VOlante droOp-
ing and all in foam. There was evi.
IDENTIFY some mystery in this disaster.
Take these burned creatures to the
nearest house." said Hotham. And
now, boys, some Of you try to save the
stables. Some come with me at the
house. There were more people i'll it."
The sailors fought fire. The others
carried the two bodies to Bilsby's farm.
house. The flames showed them their
path under the red leaved trees of Oc-
tOber.
The same rudy light was guiding
Lucy Brothertoft on her way to what a
little while ago was home.
Long before she reached the spot the
roar and frenzy of the flames had sub
sided.
Nothing was left but the ragged walls
and the red ruins of the manor house.
1t had been punished by fire for the mis-
cry and sin it had sheltered
A guard of sailors, under lieutenant.
protected what little property had been
saved. Lucy learned from them how
an unknown man had rescued her moth
er to die away from the flames
She left NOltaire to make some plaus,
IDLE story Of the kidnapping, and to in.
vent a release of hers from the captors'
hands, when the fire they had acciden.
tally kindled was discovered.
She fastened to help the father she
loved and the mother she pitied 50 deeply.
Jierck Dewitt followed her to Bilsby's
door.
60, Jierck!" she said 1T makes me
shudder to see you, and think of this
dreadful harm you have done. Go and
tell the whole to Major Skerrett."
will You speak to my wife. Miss
Lucy, and show her how she is to blame
how her wrong sent me wrong? Tell
her how she and are linked in with
ruin here. Perhaps it will help you to
forgive me if you can better her"
Lucy promised.
She entered the farmhouse to en-
counter her holy duties with her par
ents.
Jierck hurried off to meet Major Skier.
rett, give him the sorrowful history of
the night, and warn him away from a
region that would be alive by daylight,
and bayoneting haystacks and hollow
trees for kidnapers.
The penitent fellow could get no far.
Their on his return than Cedar ridge,
There he saw the red embers of the
manor house watching him from the
edge of the horizon like the eve of
Cyclops. He was fascinated, and sank
down at the foot of the uncannv old
cedar sick with horror and fatigue.
Skerrett and Canady, pressing anx-
iously on, found Jierck there at sunrise
asleep and half dead with cold. They
reused him and heard his story.
a little wreath of smoke alone marked
the site of the manor house. Here was
the starting point, there was the goal of
Edwin BrothertOft's night gallop. 1t
thrilled the major to hear of that wild
r1de, and to fancy he saw the white
horse dashing through the darkness on
that noble errand of mercy.
Some men would have said, Curse
her! let her burn! She's hurt me worse
than frell hurt her" says Hendrecus.
"Some would have took the turns of the
road, and got 10 the house when it was
nothing but chimblnys. Some would
have been afeard Of being known. and
shot for a rebel. I've heard saw that
the PATRON wasn't one of the strong
kind; but he's done splendid thing
here. and LIN proud of 1nvsnlf thn+ 1