The Penn's Grove record., 1895-12-27
IA nhracall, unabis to leave hls "a.

ed physically unable to leave his seat
the ledge.
"Bahl what a coward I amT' be cried,
Fearing to leap into necessary death
with my face toward It ! suppose I
have a woman's nerve just now; must
humor myself like a woman"
He turned about breasting the sill
and lowering himself steadily down TN
Ill his body hung down against me
wooden wall suspended only BY tho
finger tips. And, then he saw some
thing which caused such 8 rsvulsion OF
feeling that he was within an ace OF
relaxing his old and being dashed to
rags in the street below.
Gradually, however. his muscles stf-
fened again, and he drew himself up
and fell faint and trembling on the
board floor Of his bedroom. Screwed
TO the jamb Of the window was q stout
eyeboIt; fastened to this was Q long coil
Of rope. These things are the ordinary
accompaniment Of American hotel bed
rooms anywhere above the hrst noor.
and Carr had seen them SCORES OF times
before. stIi feeling sick and dizzy,
Carr gathered himself up from the
door, and with trembling fingers set
about casting the rope from It's COL.
The stuff tangled, and IN his hasty
cfumsinsss he tied It INTO hard knob
Time was wasted. +,
At last, however. tho long, snaky
length Of rope was fung out Of the
window; and gripping It with his hands
and legs, the fugitive started his De
scent. He was no practiced climber.
and the rough hemp ate the skin from
his hands as 1t passed through them,
but such an Inconvenience was only
Of slight moment. A far greater dan
ger encompassed him. During his
delay the fire had gained In, strength
and herceness, and torrents OF yellow
blaze = pouring from dozens of the
windows.
He had to pass through two OF these,
and emerged at each lower end stihed
and blackened. But the rope remained.
hanging like q thin, black snake In the
heart Of the licking tongues Of IRE, GET
ting deeper and deeper charred every
moment. How long would It continue
to hold him2
Fully conscious of his new peril, he
let the cord slip past him still more rap
idly, till it felt as though his hands
were being cut through to the very
bone by a red-hot saw; and then-it
broke.
He felt a numbing rush through the
air, q Earring thud as OF ten thousand
earthquakes, suns shooting before his
eyes-and that was all. Oblivion held
him entirely.
Later on the doctor presented the
patient over whom there had been
some controversy, with a paper which
contained a lengthy account OF the fire.
and the patient marveled at the inven-
tive powers Of Chicago Journalists.
When, however, he came to the list OF
the killed, about which there could not
vel, be any sentimental romancing, he
nut the paper down with a start. For
awhile he lay still with his eyes on
he ceiling. Then his glance descended
again and roved round the ward rather
guilty. Finding that no n was no
ticing him, he once more picked up the
paper Yes, there 1t vas, In uncom-
promising black and white, described
with gruesome ~adjectiyes and Carr OF
wingford, England. Curiosity made
him search further among the columns,
and he found the method Of his death
described with gruesome adjectives and
startling headlines. This last owned
to being imaginative, as 1t mentioned
that he had never been seen alive after
retiring for the night.
Yet 1t was a bad conjecture of what
might have occurred to a man who was
slowly suffocated to death.
Again the paper futtered to the floor,
and again Cars eyes sought the cell
ing. He was thinking very. hard In
deed, and couldn't quite make up his
mind to something. A course seemed
- Sramhaors hut 4 mnltitnde n
oa an,n,s For ono thing n wonld
80 MN ~soraver Of his wife. who has
.armantod I'D love into something akin
to hatred; for another
I'M acctor came and broke INFO hi.
-aS.
.sav fr,end 7 want to know You,
,.na Tba botel REGISTERS arc burned
ana tho naners wish to print a list d
snr,,unrs ~ that wa NAV tot nm viii
are missing. It's been a sad business
this. all around; a mighty sad business
Many deaths, and-what did you sal
YOUR name was, sir?'
II was now or never. The choice had
10 be made or the chance missed.
.carey."
The doctor noted It down on his cuff
.I~nttials. pleaseT'
Henry g."
.svvhera of3 You,rs Tneliah. 7 sues,