The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-03

!
swift-corning flash and roar caught
/ them and swept on. leaving, far away
/ in their wake. only the blackened skei-
| eton trunks to hold their scared and
snaoldering branches heayenward, like
| so many arms imploring that infinite
mercy which alone can save.
Drifts of red-hot cinders swept con-
| tinuously over and around the little
boat, but Marcia. drenched it thorough
| ~ and turned further from the shore
After their first stupefaction the
power to think and act had returned,
and, changing places, they bore onward
again toward their original goal Not
| the thought of one human being in
peril now appealed to them, but of
hundreds.
The two or three villages of the 1unl-
bermen that dotted the banks of the
river, which spread into a waste of
swampland at its mouth, We're inevita-
bly, in the track of the devastating ele-
ment.
It was well that others We're upon the
lake who had caught earlier sight of
that widespread conhagra ton, and were
beforehand in rendering efficient aid.
A great steamer had turned from its
course and anchored a quarter of a
mile distant, sending off its boats to
take up the sufferers.
These, Joined by a few small fishing
craft, ran fiery gauntlet through the
tracery of creeks and inlets, where the
went down before the light flame that
leaped from point to point, a. new men
ace in the face of the despairing vii
layers who had been driven to the riv-
er to escape the burning forest, to be
shut in, as it were. by a burning
stream.
But in its scorching track came the
brave-hearted rescuers. Draughts like
the breath of the simeon to threaten
them lungs choked until every respira-
ton was pain; skin starting and peel
ing at every exposed point, but during
all danger, not the least that of thrust
ing themselves among the panic-striek-
en- mass of struggling beings, four
nfths of whom must have escaped
death from fire only to meet death by
drowning but for the relief providen-
TALLY so near at hand
Back at the river mouth, the two wo-
men felt their utter helplessness, but
could only wait and pray in torturing
suspense.
Then, at last, came the return of the
boats with their precious freight
Two of these, emerging from opposite
tnlets at the same moment, were rowed
slowly past them, side by side
Dead, did you say?" from the great
hearted-captain of the steamer himself
z. leader in the work. 1.-THE brave fell
low was one of my passengers How
did it happen?''
The other poor STRENGTHENING devil
AAeA0 DGS1 WOIk1n5 ike a tiger, bringing
OH the women and children; but lust as
it come his turn to be taken in he star
ed up at one of our men-hin, sir-then
Tell back with an awful look and sank
like lead. This one gave a nutter NV
God! Leo! and instantly dived after He
got hold, it appears, but was dragged
away from the spot where we looked
for EN-, and came up to strike against
float, as you seei"
Side by side in the bottom of the boat
their equally death-1ike faces exposed
to view, the one with great wound
running down to his temple in a gaping,
/ CHASTITY line.
The involuntary groan which ESCAPED
the lips of the observers was cut
through Dy Woman's wild shrek.
Luella stood upright in the swaying
1 skill with arms outStretched.
He is mine, he is mine. Give him to
/ me. Then on her knees, when some
plying hand lifted him to her side, with
| her face bowed down to the blood-dab-
| bled hair, sobbing out; Jerome, oh,
/ Jerome, I love your
| Through the pitifu1 estrangement
which had been between them the truth
| had broken clear at last. Now into the
/ deaf ears was poured the passionate
/ assurance, which, uttered sooner might
nave swept mlsunderstandfngs aside
and given them the perfect rest which
! is known to perfect love-now when it
was too late.
So thought Marcia, but heaven was
merciful.
Both Jerome and Leo drifted back to
life in the old house on the point 1t
was weeks after those three terrible
days and nights during which the fire
ragged before the gathering clouds open
| ed and the blessed rain came down
| when two shadowy men joined hands in
1 new bond of friendship that would
prove more enduring than the old. 1t
was as If they had gone through the
| fiery furnace OF af7ictiOn. to be cleared
| of the dross of unworthy passions, and
| to thoroughly realize the change
Then came one peaceful evening. when
/ the round sun went down, flooding the
broad lake with its crimson glow, and
| Marcia stood in the background watch
Ing the two figures outlined against
| the Hght-Luella and Jerome her head
| laid against her husbands shoulder her
/ eyes looking up into his and in low
/ voice the watcher repeated to herself:
"All strife have in spirit overcome:
All envy, grief. or bitterness;
Yet is the time when this lance reach
The pity of my loneliness
ssFor yourself or for me. Marcia %
Though she had not known it before,
Leo stood beside her "Ah, quiet little
! SOUR taking one of her unresisting
hands in his tremulous touch. Il could
| ask no other to believe in me or to
/ give me pity for my loneliness This is
not a delirious fever like the old dream,
Marcia It is a hope I would like to
4 NAAAAC 4 " vi n jill lily
for the sin that it led me into
A strange new tenderness came creep
ing into Marcia's heart. How shall we
! judge one another? In the old time Leo
could have gained no chance beside
Jerome; but now, tried, fallen, learning
his bitter lesson and developing a better
/ and stronger manhood through the
miseries which had beset him, he was
| finding also a compensating good for
| the evil he had overcome.
/ They stood together while the red
/ glow faded
| athwart the shadows that were Left
/ followed the white radiance Of the