Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-08-02

hathed his eyes in cold water hraced
himself to keep awake, and then
dropped asleep again.
He was dreaming that he and his
father and mother were in railway
coach in Austria. The smoke from
the locomotive was suftocating, Sud
denly there was jolting, followed
by terrible chaos. He clutched at
his throat: he could not breathe; there
was confused murmur OF voices
aud an occasional Wild shrek, with
an ominouS humming in the distance,
Hike the droning Of a great humble
bee Was II the dream, or was the
hotel atire? Quickly it dashed through
his mtud that he had asked the porter
where the tirc-rScapeS were on that
floor and the porter had replied, You
must inquire OF the proprietor; never
saw any"
1t was February 10. He rushed to
the window. \ cloud ot mingled
smoke and flame hid the street be-
low. Had he been forgotten? Where
was Philip? Opening, the door he was
driven back by the solid mass OF
smoke. hydra-hcad seeking in vain
an outlet through the roof He knew
no ladder IN New Haven could reach
his window There was only one thing
to do; he must try for the staircase;
and two attempts showed that that
was madness
"Fcbruary To-" he murmured, land
must die here like 4 dog, or, worse
yet, be brought back to a life in which
| shall not know herr ClutchtnG vain
ly for the old life, he sanh to the
floor.
Scarcely had he drawn Il breath OF
the clearer air in the lower stratum
when someone caught him by the arm
and dragged him through side hall.
At the end was pile of furniture up
which he was forced to Chamber be
hind his silent companion. There was
Il crash, he felt glass shower down
on his head and in another moment
he was standing on the roof. With
Il mighty roar the flame shot up
through the opening behind them. BY
its light lie recognized Philip. They
were already at the further corner,
looking down upon the roof of an adj,
joining building, several feet below. 1t
was the work of but a moment for
Philip to fasten around vcntilaing
shaft one end of rope which ha car
ried and by this they let themselves
down among a group Of tiremen.
They were eating breakfast together
in another hotel, after Philips burns
and body had been dressed and he
had told the story of how he made his
way from his room, when Long laid
down his knife and fork, looked at
Philip and said, Philip, my dear fel.
low, do you know what your rescue
Of me last night means? 1t means
that the grip which an evil fate has
had upon me all my life Is broken.
But, brave as you were, you were
helped by secret power which has
been silently at work since last July.
| am now like other men. ! am going
to be married at o'clock"
If the words on Philips lips had
been uttered, they would have been,
Did | save you, then, for that|
What he really said, Coolly, was,
Then we have no time to lose. | sup
pose Miss Westovcr will be the brideT
Yes. | have notified her Of our
safety. And now l must leave the
preparations largely to you, since |
am free to confess that ! feel as
though had literally been born again,
and were a mere infant"
W.
That was five years ago. An init
mate friend Of Longs family, reintro-
duced to him by Philip, | was the
first to whom he told his good fortune
that morning after the fire, happen
in, to he in the city for a day or two.
And il was my pleasure IN the even
ing to accompany him TO the surprise
dinner.
Soon after that ] returned to the
duties which had kept me in Switzer-
LAND for several years, and did not
hear from my old friend again TIL on
my return the other day. Then ran
down to his house in tn country,
but it was closed FASTENED to Bos-
ton, to the place where had been di-
rectcd. Philip ushcrcd me in.
"How does 1t seem to be rid Of the
terror Of christopher was almost
the first exclamation, before | noticed
that the Atmosphere was somewhat
forbiddng.
Have you not heardt" said Long,
sadly. Il am living now only In '.ope
that my old fate will return t. re
next February"
hesitated; questions might be out
of place. He knocked over a salt
cellar at his elbow, pointed to the ID
chairs in the room, and asked If ] did
not observe that the number OF his
house was 10. Then he continued:
my worst catastrophe was that OF
February 10, 1888. Doubly bad be-
cause it brought forgetfulness OF the
preceding period. 1t was my own
fault, and was punished for my
folly. We did not live together but
year. In that year ] became the
philin has