The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-21
BY ROBERT BARR.

Scimmins Il have as much right to
my life as you have TO yours.
Stand back, ye ruffian, or Ah'll
strangle We when All get ma hands on
ye. Stand ye there, Mr.. Sartwel an
catch them when All throw them to ye-
The women first. Fling them down
past the turn o. the stairs, an they IL
be safe. Stand We there; Anil be at
the door this minute. Well have them
all out in a jiffy."
While he shouted Braunt tore his
way through the crowd and at last
reached the knot in the jam where
further progress was impossible. Here
he stood and by the simple power of
his arms lifted girl after girl straight
up and hurled them over the heads of
those in front into SartwellS arms
who pushed them on down the stairs.
For Gods sake, Scimmins,'' cried
Sartwen, who from his position could
see the fear-demented man pressing
the crowd on Braunt and hampering
him, be a man and stand back. Don't
fight. There's time for all to get out -
''Ah'H crack your skull for ye.'
shouted Braunt. hoarsely, over his
shoulder Remember. we've to pass
me before vet get to the stair, an lit
tie good your fightinll do ye.''
At last the knot dissolved, as a long
jam on river suddenly gives way
when the key log is removed. Braunt
stood now with his back against the
doOrpost. While Sartwell took his place
at the turn of the stairs, strenuously
fiinging torn and ragged items of hu-
mainly into safety. Several of those
who had been at the point of the wedge
lay at his feet, senseless or dead-there
was no time TO discover which. Now
and then a girl he hurled down the
stair tottered, fell and lay where she
fell
why doesn't someone come to carry
those women out?" groaned the man
ager, who had asked one after an
other whom he had saved TO send help
to him.
At last two of his men appeared
It's bad fire, Mr.. Sartwell," said
Yes, yes. know Take down two
each, if you can, and send up more
men. Tell the clerks to see tnat the
iron doors between the buildings are
closed Are the fremen here?"
Five engines, sir"
Good! Get down as quickly as you
can and send up more help
"Ye divill Do We think to sneak
past me?" cried Braunt, seizing Scir-
minis, who had at last fought his way
through.
Don't waste time with that man.
Braunt. My God, don't you see the
names! me roof Will be in on us in
a minute, Fling him down herer'
He stays behind me till the last
souls out" snarled Braunt between
his teeth
Sartwell said no more. 1t was no
time to argue or expostulate, and
Braunt, although pinning Scimmins
10 the wall behind him, continued to
eXtricate the women as fast as the
manager could pass them along. The
]
door, and was as continually Embossed
by the stalwart, interchangeable arms of
Braunt.
You are smothering me-" whined
Scimmins.
I hope so,' said Braunt
The situation was now hardly to be
borne. The smoke ascending the STAIR
way met the smoke pouring through
the door, yet, in spite of the smoke.
the room was bright, for steady col
umn OF flame rOared up through the
shaft. making it like a blast furnace.
Are they all out?" gasped Sartwell,
coughing, for the smoke was choking
him.
''Ah think so, sir. but Ah'n have a
look. Some may be on the fioor'-and
Braunt, as he spoke, hurled Scim-
Minis into the room ahead of him,
pushing the door shut, so that SartWeH
would not hear the man if he cried out
The manager, strangling in the smoke,
appeared to have forgotten that Scim-
Minis was there.
Down on your hands and knees. We
hound, and see if any o. the women We
felled are therer'
Scimmins was already on his knees.
There's no one here. Open the doori
open the doort" he cried.
Braunt opened the door an inch or
two.
Thank God for THAR said Sartwell.
Come down at once. There's not a
moment TO lose"
I'm be down as soon as you are,
sir. Rum
The manager tumbled down the
cracking stair, not doubling but
Braunt followed.
Now, We crawling serpent, I'm going
to keep We here till yere singed. l saw
your villainy. ye cowardr'
The terror-stricken man mistook the
purport of Braunt's words, and thus
lost all chance of life.
L swear to God 1 didn't mean iti' he
cried. The match dropped before I
knowed il. Gods truth, il did. Braunti"
What Ye fired tn works. Yei
With the women here ye tried TO
starve, Ye dropped the match. Ye
crawling, murderous fiendr'
Braunt crouched like a wild beast
about to spring, his crooked fingers,
like claws. twitching nervously.
Breathing in short, quick gasps, for
the smoke had him by the throat. his
fierce eyes glittering in the flames
with the fearsome light of insanity,
he bounced upon his writhing victim
and held his struggling figure with
arms upstretched above his head.
Treading over the quaking door, he
shouted:
Down, We craven devil, into the hell
We have mader'
The long. quivering Shrek of the
doomed man was swallowed and
quenched in the torrent of fire.
Braunt stood in the center of the
trembling, sagging floor, with his
hands still above his head, his face up
turned, and swaying dimly in the
sitting smoke. a fireman's axe crashed
in a window; a squirt of water burst
through the opening and Kissed against
the ceiling.
''Jessiel Jessiei Listen the Dead
March, My girl The-real-marchr'
With a rending crash the floor sank
into the furnace.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Barney Hope drove his tandem up
and down the parade, to the glory of
Eastbourne, but with small satisfac-