The Van Buren press., 1900-05-05

is much worse than yours, gentlemen.
Your families will be well provided for,
but God only knows what will become
of my wife and children when I'm
gone"
"See here, young man." Oglethope
exclaimed, grasping Tom by the arm,
81 can't be roasted in this hell-hole
like rat, and to jump is still worse. !.
Why, man alive, I'd give a million dol
lars-a million, do you bear?-to be
landed safely on the ground"
| glanced at Tom-for an instant
forgetting our perilous situation
and noted that, unmindful of Ogle-
thorpe, he was gazing intently to one
side; then suddenly his face lighted up
with a CLEAN of hope.
"All right! / accept the contract
No time now for any business formal
tiles. Shake hands on it. You witness
this. Mr.. Burrows" said he, nodding
his head in my direction, at the same
time extending his hand to 0glethorpe.
They hastily grasped each others
hand and bore witness of the strang-
est business transaction on record.
That's as binding as if drawn up by
regiment of lawyers" exclaimed
Oglethorpe when the simple ceremony
was completed Then he added: My
word is good for that amount, never
fear, if | get out of this place alive"
Pushing the millionaire aside rough
ly, Proctor ran to case OF drawers
under the counter a few feet away.
On the upper drawer was tackled a
white card which bore the simple le-
gend: "Fish lines" 1t was only the
work of second to pull the drawer
out and select heavy, strong line,
about the size used in codfishing. The
drawer underneath was labeled "Sink-
ers," and from this he grabbed lead
sinker, which he deftly fastened to the
end of the line. From the wall he tore
down a sign which read: mo smoking
allowed" on the back of this card he
wrote in plain letters: Hitch on a
rope, quick!"
Making the card fast to the line
near the lead he rushed to the window
followed by Oglethorpe and myself.
We watched the descent Of that white
messenger with breathless interest, for
our lives were in the balance and time
was precious. Three souls hanging to
n cod line and piece of common every
day cardboard.
A man on the ladder seized the card
and read its message. Waving his hand
upward to signify that he understood,
he ran nimbly down the ladder, darted
across the street to ladder truck, and
with the help of comrade seized a
coil of rope, which they flung on the
ground directly under our window.
TO prevent the line from chaiing
on the stone trimming under the win
dow sill, Proctor leaned far outward
and carefully obeyed the command to
"haul."
"This Is n kind of fish worth fish,
ing for" cried he, with enthusiasm;
"sort of goldfish hey, Mr.. Ogle'
thorpe? All, my beauty, now I've got
you fast!" he exclaimed, as the end
of the rope slipped into his hands.
believe that Tom had been to sea
couple of voyages when youngster
and evidently the old sailor instinct
returned the moment he got hold OF
that rope.
He yanked II in over the window sill
hand over hand till it fairy hummed,
When the last fathom fell at our feet
Tom grabbed it and with II quick turn
of the hands tied loop, which !
think sailors call u "bowline." Slip
ping this bowlne over Mr., 0glethorpe's
head and down to the hips, he said
to him, tersely: "Now, then, Mr.,
Oglethorpe, you're to sit in this bow
line; hold onto the rope with u death
grip. Don't be afraid; you can't fall
out II you try. Mr.. Burrows and !
will lower you down, and all you haya
to do is to keep yourself away from
the building with your feet. You
may bark your shins, but that's moth
ing. Lively now, there's not mo
ment to lose!"
After few more instructions and
no little urging, the man OF money
lnboriously crawled over the sill we
Stacked away on the rope and his
head disappeared from view. We had
turn of the rope around Il steam
pipe and had no difficulty in holding
Oglethorpe's weight although he
was heavy man.
Presently we heard n tremendous
cheer from the crowd below, which
told us that Oglethorpe was safe.
Running to the window, we saw him
descending the ladder with the help
Of fireman
Tom hauled up the rope again and
In an instant ! was ready to descend.
| His instructions to me were the same
as to Oglethorpe only he added; "lf
| don't get out Of this alive, Mr.. Bur
rows, you see that Bessie and the
babies get that Million lie glanced
uneasily over his shoulder to the rear
Of the room, where the flames were
Just beginning TO break through
made n feeble protest. meant IT,
too-thut IL was only right that he
should 20 next. lie replied almost
angrily; "Stop your nonsense, Mr.,
Burrows, and get out Of that Window
IN take two turns around this steam
pipe, so as to hold you all right and
you'll be on the ladder in jiiYy."
| have dim recollection OF twist.
ing and turning, at the same time
falling down, down, till |, seemed az
II | was dropping into n bottomless
pit In the internal regions. Before !
knew II | was standing on mother
earth once more with Oglethorpe
shaking my arm Of