The Forrest City times., 1899-11-03

"l cannot allow that. My word 1: pledged. What is eves life wiihou. honor?'
 You shall have life and honor both. Trust me. But it is growing dark; lie down now and sleep" He was worn out with grief and anx- iety, and soon sank into a slumbsr as placid as child's. Meanwhile his wife sat by the bedside watching him. The hours wore on, the city spires chimed midnight, and then the silence was broken by the roll of distant thunder. She opened the window and looked out. The night was intensely dark, but now and again vivid flashes of light ming lit up the sky.
 She put her face between her hands and thought awhile, then, closing the window poiselessly, walked on tiptoe 10 the fireplace. From the hearth she took a half-burnt and still smoldering brand, slipped cloak over her shoul- ders, and glided forth like a shadow into the deserted streets. Whither was she going? Was that brand to serve as torch, lighting her path through the darkness? On she sped, straight as an arrow, along the dangerous track covered with broken powders, filtered with fragments of masonry, with the reek and rubbish of building material, to fall at last, panting for breath, under the center arch of the new bridge.
 A quick shudder convulsed her from head to foot. She was on the edge of an abyss of seething waters. A tremen- dous peal of thunder at that moment resounded far and wide.
 Hardly had it passed when she rose to her feet, blew the brand fiercely to kindle it afresh, and with firm and steady hand applied it to the dry wood of the scaffolding. The wood ignited instantly; the flame spread, famed by the wind; it grew and mounted with fearful rapidity, involving arches and framework and the whole structure in one binding sheet of fire.
 Then she turned and fled. Guided by the glare and the lightning flashes, she traversed again the space which sep arated her from husband and home. He was still sleeping as she had left him. A few moments later there rose sound of footsteps and shouting within the city and from every belfry rang the terrible fire alarm.
 The sudden uproar awoke Juan. He looked at his wife in terror.
 "Why-how?" he stammered. "What- ever is it, Katrine?'
 She smiled through her etars.
 Don't be alarmed, dear" she said l"There has been a storm. Your bridge is burnt to the ground"
 Something in her look and voice as she spoke made him guess what had really happened. His heart was almost too full for words, but he took her in his arms and kissed her and blessed her.
 The archbishop and the Toledans be- lieved that the disaster had occurred by a flash of lightning which had struck one of the arches and set the woodwork ablaze, and great was the public sym pathy with the architect. The destruc- tion of the bridge, however, only re- tarded Juan's triumph for another year. In the following July his new bridge was solemnly thrown open by his em- inence in person, and the event was eel ebrated by magnificent banquet. On the right hand of the distinguished host sat the architect and his brave wife. and at its conclusion. amidst a tumult of applause, the entire company es- corted Juan and Katrine to their splen- did home near the gerat cathedral Chicago Herald.