Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-06-08
Faith, however, is a wonderful thing,

I knew Colonel Cain had gone uo"n )"
this wav. and that I could do the same;
Just as was about to let go any way
felt a pair of hands touch my oody.
"Drop-it's only a couple OF fee'' JOS
lyn." ,,dnot
did so. Knowing the depth did not
receive as much of shock as mlghC
have heen the case had been In utter
ignorance as to whether should fall one
foot or twenty.
found that we were upon anotncf
roof, but somewhat nearer the grouhd.
Tho cracksman led me along this. Id
was of tin, and ratified somewhat unuer
our feet, at which he muttcred curse.
"Hang the luck! That racket gives
us away" he said, GROSSLY.
We could hear the police fastening TO-
ward the POINT where we had lclt inc
higher roof, and had no doubt but they
| had heard our movements.
By this time, Lowever, we had man
nqed to ga n the end of the second roof
What was next on the programme l
could not even guess, but must await
the turn Of events now so rapidly oc-
curing.
Watching my companion, / saw him
swing OF upon what seemed 10 De
board / got down on my knees the bet
ter to examine 1t, and | found that ny
suspicious were quite trlle'
"A board it undoubtedly was OF SOUND
strength, and just wide enough to allow
man Of steady nerve to walk upon IT,
Where did it ica1? A large building
was before us, looming tip like a CASTLE
knew it was Il tenement OF some sort
and the plank seemed to extend from the
gutter Of our roof to porch OF some
kind in the rear of the other tenement
All! had it. This porch was made OF
iron, and was really a portion OF a
modern fire escape.
Looking up; l could just distinguish
another like it, outlined against the SKY.
Of course there were more below. IT
could not be the idea of Colonel Cain to
remain upon the roofs longer than he
could help. The ground was his only
hope of escape.
| could now see exactly how he hoped
to make this anchorage.
Upon this plank then depended our
hope Of escape.
Had it been missing we should be capt
urCd beyond doubt.
The reader can imagine that ! had no
Slight task before me.
A slip on my part would send me down
to death.
To man Of ordinary nerve it would
not have been much of job to havc
crossed over in the daytime. Two short
steps would have accomplished its
In the night time, however, the plank
was all but invisible. | dared not put
nv foot down without first feeling that
It was in the center Of the plank.
Shutting my teeth hard, | made the
forward movement.
There was a period Of suspense that
appeared longer to me than it really must
have been.
) Then my outstretched hands came IN
contact with a1-iron railing.
Eagerly cutched it, and a feelln3 OF
relief went through my franc as real
lied that | was safo.
The Colonel was there and helped me
to Chamber over the railing. Then as ne
bent down did likewise.
found that he had the plank securely
wedged between two scrolls In the IRON
work Of the porch, so there could no
have been much chance of It's workine
70 loose while one was eros sing.
He was desperately engaged now II
working this end Of the plank loose.
saw the idea at once. 1t would Gu
off immediate pursuit by iso'atin3 th'
fire escape from the adjoining roof.
BY our united efforts we managed u
get the plank free from its fastenlngs'
"Down with it Joslyn."
+ The officers were investigating the dc
! scent from the upper TO the lower roof
[ could see a dark Lantern In use.
they should tuln it upon us they nigh
l discover something to their advantage
We released our hold on the plank.
1t went surging downward at once
but being heavy, fell like rock, 80 tha
no sound was made until it reached tn
7 bottom, when there came a sudden crash
I and all was still again.
[ One of the officers was now hanglnl
over the gutter above, and the man witt
t the lantern dared not turn II away, a
o the light was needed right there.
: This assisted u.s. We had no soone
: allowed the plank to drop than the Coz
onel'S arm was laced on my shoulder
+ and he drew me back.
d "Here's the way down, comrade. w
r haven't second to lose. They'll oTe
r fire on us if they throw the light thl
way"
4 There was a small opening at th
b other end of the iron per h. Below thl
y depended an iron ladder, which in tur
reached down to tho next landing.
In this way the descent could be mad
;, to the bottom. These fire escapes ar
daily growing more common IN certai
portions of the great city. Their utlilt
0 is unuuestoned, if they can be only kcE
clear, but the inmates Of tenemenl
@ seem to look upon the ForcheS as dePos
II tories of truck and sleeping PAGES dul
ing tie hot nights OF summer.
o The way we went through that opeT
ing was a caution. No danger now
II the ladder giving way.
II On the porch below We landed IN IN
u midst Of a family enjoying sound slce
ID upon their opln couch.
T. Our advent among them was the cau'
of much CONSERVATION. But one ld6
"a prevailed, and this was that the hou'
must be on fire, and the people atoN
I were taking advantage of them.
% So they followed us as well as possibl
1. but in the jam the opening was fille'
A and there they stuck, scr, aiming al
10 cursing al rate to awaken the dead
n. have often looked back with cOnsi
ID cradle amusementto that scene, but ju
I then | had no time to enjoy it,
n OF course the attention of the Office
would be directed toward this point nov
II and We could hardly hope to escape di
coyery. unless we were exceeding SDl