Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1897-10-28


the eastern outskirts Of the town--a huge
model )oiging house, built some years be-
fore by a friend Of humanity who onl.
required per cent. for his capital 1t
| was a huge caravanserai, and swarmed
like an anthill; for it was better than the
dens and novels Of the slums in the heart
of the town, inasmuch as it was wind and
| weather proof, which they were not.
The meeting ended amid confusion,
| and the last speeches were unheard. The
news Of the fire had reached the platform
and Lord Lashmar knew that the Radi-
safety Of bis child. Even her ladyships
sympathies were aroused by the tragedy
Of the scene.
ITO think that such creature should
have so much human feeling" she OK
claimed. II hope his people will not be
burnt"
Il think, mother, if you'll allow me,
I'll stay and see the end of this business
after I've put you into the carriage" said
Lashmar. Il can get fly at the George
to take me home"
"I'll stay with you," said Colonel Spill
| lington.
The tarouche drove away through the
summer night, drove away from the
| smoke and CRIME toward fields and dewy
hills and howery hedgerows. Lashmar
and the Colonel got into hanson cab
and told the driver to go to Goldwin's as
| fast as he could pelt. Driver and horse
were both excited and ratified off at Il
tremendous speed. They were soon in
front Of the housc-a dense crowd be-
| tween them and the building.
| Look at him. gasped the crowd, as
Jonathan Boldwood's huge form scaled
the iron balconies, clambered and swung
himself from one point Of vantage to an
other, mounting higher and higher,
showing . dark moving blotch against the
red light that shone all over the building,
as il it had been the palace of the setting
sun. look at him! There's a man for
you, man with the heart Of lion. His
little girl is up in one O them rooms-one
o the toppest. The fremen and Escapes
are all t other side O. the building. Heav-
en- help him. He'll be suffocated before
he gets to that top room"
| This was about the gist Of what the
crowd said, in short gasps Of speech. To-
quacious, excited, plying, but impotcnt
to help, around and about Lord Lashmar.
Neither his gentle blood nor his crooked
back attracted any attention in that surg
ing mass of anxious humanity. All dis
tinctions were for the time blotted out.
The strong human instinct prevailed over
all class differences and conventional
I ties.
Hell do it, roared the crowd. Zone
story more and he's there!'
One more rail to grasp, one last effort
to swing himself to the higher level; but
before he could grasp the rail q great
wave II flame and smoke rushed out from
the shattered windows in front Of him.
poured over him like black water and
wrapped him in Egyptian darkness-dark-
ness flecked with arrows Of fame. Then
there arose grOan as Of Samson when
the pillars yielded and the roof fell-the
groan of despairing Titan. The crowd
reeled backward with q shuddering re-
coil, and that bulky figure fell in their
midst, almost at Lashmar's feet. There
was no help, no hope. The demagogue's
neck was broken. He expired without a
murmur.
| While the mob surrounded the dead
man, talking over him, lamenting him,
waiting for medical help, for stretchcr
| to carry that motionless bulk Of human
ity away, Lashmar had slipped off his
coat, 1ung it to the remonstrant Colonel
Spillington, and had begun to climb the
iron balconies just as Boldwood had
climbed, but at a greater disadvantage,
for the smoke and fame had intensified
with every moment; window after win
dow had vomited fire. The lockers on,
those who were not too absorbed by their
thoughts Of the dead to watch the living,
gave cry of horror-horror at the mad
ness Of such an attempt.
But in few seconds those spectators
understood that this climber was Of a diff
ferent oaliber from Boldwood. This
slight, slim form was the figure of a
trained athlete. Those long, 1.-THE arms
held on to the balconies and wreathed
themselves about the iron columns with
the suppleness and the tenacity of a
serpent. Could this be the man with the
crooked back, who had been standing in
the front of the crowd just now, silent
and watchful?
Would he perish in his generous en-
deavor? What fate awaited him in the
darkness and the fire? Was the room he
had entered sound and whole or was it
but the mouth Of fiery pit? Was that
generous heart stilled in death, even
while they watched and waited? No:
just us the fire escape appeared round the
corner OF the building, swaying to and
fro as the firemen and the crowd steered
it along, just as succor drew near, that
slim figure in the white shirt-sleeves fash
ed out again amid the smoke. Lord Lash
mar was standing on that fourth floor
balcony with child in his arms. He had
but to await the adjustment Of the escape,
to guard himself and his living burden
from the flames, and all the rest was
easy.
CHAPTER III.
Five, ten minutes Of supreme anxiety
and all was over. Lashmar was stand
ing among the crowd with Boldwood's
5-year-old daughter in his arms, a small,
thin figure in little white night-gown,
q sallow, wizened little face, with great
goblin eyes.
The men clasped him by the hand, the
women hung about him and kissed those
wounded hands Of his, raw and bleeding,
scratched and scorched and torn and