Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-01-28

he must keep his promise. Still half
stunned, blind and dizzy with despair,
he went to the town, got his horse
from tine stables, rode slowly through
the woods until it was quite dark, then
tied FleetfOot in the thicket behind
the prison. and went round and re-
sumed his walk and watch before the
front gates.
CHAPTER AXX
Malcolm paced up and down before
the prison walls. The sky was blind
with double dark" of night and
clouds. The huge building itself
seemed only blacker shadow in the
black scene. But not darker was the
night without than the soul within the
solitary watcher. Why did he walk
there? Not only because he had prom
Used Amelia to do so. Not, either.
with the faintest hope of saving the
martyr-girl who lay within those
strong walls awaiting her doom. No;
but to he near her in her sorrow, to
watch with her as we watch beside
the. dead. Who can estimate the an
guish of that dark vigil! The deep
voiced clock at the top of one Of the
and each stroke sounded like a knell
upon his ear and heart. He wondered
if she heard them. too. or if heaven
had blessed her with sleep in these last
hours. If so, would to heaven she
night never wake to the horrors of the
morning.
While these agonizing thoughts were
lacerating his bosom, he raised his
eyes toward the east wing of the
building, in which she lay, and he was
startled to see the gratings strongly
defined against a bright, ruddy light
shining within!
What was the matter that the dead
" darkness of this massive structure,
which an instant before had seemed
but stately mass Of shadows piled
up against the midnight sky, should
now be illumined so ominously? Was
she i'll? dying? Heaven, in it's mer-
cy. grant that she might be!
But while he gazed, with suspended
breath. the lighted row of gratings
suddenly darkened, and belched forth
volumes of lurid smoke, pierced by
tongues of fame!
The prison was on fire!
ooh, Heaven! she might escape her
impending doom. but only perishing
by the most fearful of deaths; perish
ing by fire with hundreds of others.
TIe rushed to the gate, seized the
iron handle of the bell that COMMUNE
catc.; with the doorkceper's room, and
rang it loudly
Another moment. and the great bell
of the prison sounded from the tower,
:&e En
neighborhood, while cries of
"Fire! fire! firer' burst in every tone of
terror, anguish, and despair from the
inmates Of the burning building.
Still but another instant and crowds
of half-dressed men and even women,
who seemed to have started up from
the depths Of the earth in the darkness
of the night, came pouring toward the
building. The great gates were open
how, or by whom Malcolm
scarcely knew. Bewildered by his
trouble, he was carried with the crowd
and hurried on until he found himself
In the great hall Of the prison.
Within as without the most fearful
panic prevailed. Warders, turkeys
and doorkeepers, reused from deep
sleep by the horrid alarm Vt tire, rur-
ried hither and thithcr like men bereft
of their senses.
In the ward where Eudora's Cell vas
situated the darkness was intense ard
the smoke suffocat ting. Malcolm, WHO
had fastened th'''" could scarcely
breathe the air. While blindlY nal. ing
his way toward her door from which
he heard the voice Of the M:.,dress
shrieking Fire" and "Helpv lie felt
rather than saw two figures meet in
the darkness.
lis that you, Nally?" demanded the
voice OF the first. which Malcolm rec
ognized as that Of the governor.
Yes, SIR replied husky, smoke
smothered voice.
'"rakc this key, then. and rel,nsc the
condemned prisoner Slip these hand.
cuffs upon her and hurry her forward
to the west wing strong room. Don't
let her escape in this confusion. I
must 60 and look after the poor
wretches above" said the governor in
an agitated voice, us he hurried away
to the other end of the lobby.
Malcolm CROPPED along, Keeping as
near as he could to the figure that he
still felt rather than saw moving be-
fore him. Screams of "Firev' and
Help" still came from the condemned
cell, which now, like the lobby, was as
dark as pitch. Malcolm came up with
the other just at the cell door. He
held his breath with suspense. but the
Invisible figure beside him breather
quickly and fierccly as they stood there
together.
a panic Of establishment translixed
Malcolm ns he felt that hot breath
upon his check. An instant and the