Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-25

"You had better not, he said "You
would only bo interfering with my part Of
the business and causing unnecessary cxs
element to the extremely large crowd.
Men have been known 10 drop dead from
excitement. Plenty Of time for that when
you have 10 make your public appearance
IA little later on. There IL plenty OF time,
assure YOU"
She looked nj him for moment as II
scarcely understanding his strange mood,
and then sank into a chair aud covered
her face with her hands. His face was "a
little whittier perhaps as he knelt beside the
bundle Of clothing and began quickly 20
tear 10 into wide strips, knotting the strips
together as he tore them of, but for that
there was no change I'm his demcanor.
perhaps after all, " ho said presently,
glancing up at her as ho strained at "A knot
I'm order 20 be sure OF its safety, "you
would rather not oscapcl That phase Of
the question had not appealed TO me DO
fore, / admit Perhaps you would rather
stay here and die in tho lurid light OF the
flames In highly romantic manner and
with the arms Of "a discarded lover around
you, whlio the genuine article waits below
In tho roadway, praying. Would that bo
better chS'
She did not reply She only rocked her.
self TO and fro and kept hor face hidden.
IL was one Of those moments when all out
side circumstances fade away from the re-
membrance. She seemed to think that she
was alone here with the man whom she
had wronged and that she was beginning
In the light Of flames TO read his character
and TO know him as she had not read and
known in more peaceful hours. He was
still rapidly tying the knots when he spoke
again.
Its somewhat peculiar that we should
meet in this fashion, May Falconor-or
May Owen, suppose it is now; there's
species Of fate In it. Good people would
say that Providence sent me; for my part,
j give 1t up. came here filled with wrath
against you; the closing scene finds me
imbued with feelings Of absolute peace,
tingcd with a substratum of wondering
gratitude that / should have been reserved
for this / am to restore beauty to the
arms Of apining husband who Is in safety
below. / have become an unconscious ex-
ponent and apostle OF the domestic virtues.
Strange, Is 1t notp"
Still she did not answer. She only
rocked herself to and fro, and he thought
that she was crying.
MAY suggest that you should move to
this side of the roomS" he said gently.
"The flames are taking good hold of that
door, and 1t is-to use a newspaper phrase
-'well alight.' The time Is getting short
now. Have you anything to say to meP"
"Only-only that am very sorry, " she
said brokenly.
"Yet, 1t was rather a mistake" he re-
piled, calmly rising to his feet and shaking
n.rf thn Tins =aNv
nothing more about it." He moved toward
the window with one end of the rope In his
hand. 1.-THE crowd Is of great size, and
some benighted idiots are planting lad
ders, he murmured. 1.-THE ladders won't
reach, and the aforesaid benighted idiots
are being soorched, but are still manfully
shouting. There goes that door," as q
great crash sounded, and q shower OF
sparks and flame shot into the room and
burst toward them. II thought 1t would
scarcely last much longer. Come; are you
ready?"
She rose quietly and faced him with
white face. "You won't mind my blind
folding you," he said, slipping handker-
chief deftly across her face as he spoke.
you'll go through your performance SO
much more gracefully"
to tie the knot, he stopped his head and
kissed her quickly on the lips. "For the
last time" she heard him whisper softly.
But she tore the handkerchief off and
clung to him with new perception upon
her of his purpose.
"Oh, no--no-no!' she cried. "Not
that-not that We can go together, Mark"
"We can't" he said quietly. "Come,
little one, be firm for my sake. The time
has come now-my time" He slipped the
handkerchief back into its place, and she
lay half fainting against his breast. She
felt him pass the rope quickly and deftly
about her and knot it.
Come" he said, "it's getting hot here
Now, then, that's it-on the window sill
Trust yourself entirely to me. No, don't
touch my hands. There-goodby! Keep
quite still"
Even as she uttered another protest she
felt herself swing out into space and low
cred rapidly through the air, felt the heat
OF flames that darted out Mt her, heard the
nearing murmur Of many voices, and she
tainted in friendly arms.
But whatever his purpose may have
been, or whether he fulfilled Il, or whether
the closing scene was accidental none ever
knew clearly, for he dropped the rope he
held when he saw her safe and staggered
back into the flames that wound about
him, and they saw him no more-Firefly.