New-York tribune., 1901-06-09

some water jugs IN that pantry; they'll be use
All efforts to extnguish the fire We're how
ever. in vain; the most that could be done was
| u check its spreading from the west wins; OF
the house by keeping up as constant a cascade
OF water as possible with stable bucke upon
the rooms adjoining the outbreak Tho ire
( however. continued To extend its borders in all
directions, as the now white hot bricli;vo1k Of
the chimney communicated destruction u IN.
p2nei'ing Of all the rooms that SURROUNDED its
glowing shaft. Fortunately. it was a calm
night with scarcely breeze stirring
! The noise of these proceedings had in the
mean time reused the whole house. Amy Ash
ton had hurried into a peignoir and a pair Of
slippers. and was just hesitsting at her door be-
Tore making a daSh over to her aunt's bedrop..l
for consolation ahd advice, when Spencer he
grimed with smoke, rushed along the corridor.
Confronted by sudden temptation human ra-
/ ture is but weak. This glorious and unlocked
Tor opportunity of holding in his arms for just
five short minutes this most ten1pting ara ian
taliZing of girls too much for him lie
knew that. In her, he was merely middle aged
i"sy in a few months she would probably
marry Fred Norman or some other young cub.
His house might burn To cinders for al that
he cared but the Wild intoxication of having
her in his arms fer those minutes he re-
solved. should be his. With resolute man. u
think is Ia act He hurried toward her There
Is Is not minute to be lost, Miss Ashton; trust
Yourself entirely tn me" With these words he
lifted her boldly from the ground Amy Ashton
had no time to think; her arm fell naturally
enough upon his right shoulder he lifted her
/ with his left arm and carried her out To the
main staircase.
Every one who was sufficiently clad to make
an appearance in public had hurried the
of operations in the neighborhood of the back
stairs and the kitchen
| Spencer carried his fair burden down the de-
serted staircase and through the hall and set
her gently upon her fent in the garden. As
Amy Ashton touched the ground once more tht
HaiheS leap'd from the burning roof and CHM
ney. and her eyes met SPeEcer's Icy tho weird
glow of the fire; something she read IN his
&ance reused all the w"nanhood in her. 'Mr.
Spencer. how dared You touch me? How dared
YOU carry me: 1t was a stupid sch"olhoy5
trick | could have walked downstairs perfectly
] easily. II vas cowardly of you To take such
advantage Of my fright"
! The excitement was over and the reaction had
set in Amy Asht0n's feelings this moment
i were difficult To analyze. Hatred OF the man
who had dared do this thing and contempt for
herself for having been easily trapped were
both fighting for the mastery of her mind, while
both these emotions Were in turn almost numbcd
by the sick, ming recollection that her hair was
as she had arranged II Whca retiring for the
night. and descended down her back in the
! severe simplicity of a plated pigtail She grew
not al over with shame as she fancird tnat
Sh could stil feel tflc pressure of the mans arms
about her body and then her hair-how can
unfortunate girl assert herself with her halr IN
/ a pigtail2 The position was hideous: miideniy
dignity cowed 10y its own pigtai. Finally vanity
Won the day. as II Is apt 10 d" with men ana
women alike I;einE carried. after all. was not
81 very dreadful. in fact-rather- rather
Well. AT any rate that part not 50 dread
{ fu'-hut tn riEtaii@ That thought crushed her
! Her mental torture was sud ienly broken IN
upon 10y shouts the noise IF grinding wheels.
the thunder of noofs and the jingle of harness.
/ The Ere engine had arrived
Amy Ashton stood 10y Spcncer's side in the
scene. The ~ Idly glow 0f the fire turned The
tree trunks foliage of :he avenue bright red.
and lit uD human faces with curious vivid
beauty. The wild energy # the inrXpercnced
amateurs gave place tn the cool, methodicai
strategy OF the fully equipped trainei men
There hardly a breath of air stirring. and
the fiTe rapidly died down soon the engine
got steadily To work. The color faded out NJ
the landscape. and the threatened house stood
out black against the SKY.
Il must go in at once. please, Mr.. Spencer. IL
feels quite chilly now.
| II lease say YOU forgive me. Miss Ashton. be-
fore YOU The temptation WAS great
Il don't want to hear about the temptation.
Pray, what would my ideal man say to the con-
fession that | imbeCie enough To allow
man carry about without any suiiici mt
reason And Miss Ashton laughed mirtheSs
laugh
/ We'll. you at any rate explain To YOUR
ideal that the man who carried you proposed 10
man. ideal otherwise. will allow for another
man being bit of idiot when ne is ON the
verge Of a proposal
| MIR. Spencer, this began by what suppose |
must regard joke though IL was IL
wretched taste. more especially with a guest ie
your house but to carry it further is de-
lhcratc insult
| Amy darling. ! don't a fig for the ideal
man and his fancies; want you. seriously. my
self. | have loved YOU since the day that You
first here. You always treat if [
| were your grandfather: hut love you dearly
| as loved woman"
| We'll suppOsing that say that forgive y0p
fer daring TO carry me- and that we part in (
friendly
mo. l will accept no compromise; will havo
| an answer now"