The Red Cloud chief., 1902-08-01
CHAPTER XVI.

cess, at the same time entailed con.
tinued risk.
There was a wing where the fire did
not as yet appear to have secured q
foothold.
IL they could but reach that section.
which would be the last to feed the
flames, apparently, their escape was
almost a certainty.
Accordingly Charles first action.
after taking Airline in his arms, was
to ascertain whether his surmise were
correct. or II he had deceived himself.
There was great relief when he
found that a passage led of directly
toward the quarter where relief
seemed to hold out hope.
The smoke filled II almost to suffo.
cation, and his heart misgaye him as
he caught a feeting glimpse of a lurid
glow through the haze, that warned
him the fire demon was working even
in this quarter, sparinG nothing.
The smoke grew more dense-it
seemed to almost paralyze his very
brain: his eyes smarted and burned
as though scared with red.hot irons:
his senses reeled. yet. with the indom-
liable pluck Of a true soldier. he
pressed grimly on. sheltering Airline
as well as he could with the cloak she
wore, and which proved a blessing in
more ways than had entered into his
reasoning at the time he first clasped
IL about her.
L"xnru wand yrhtnh thnU nnvnrnd
brought them closer to their goal,
where doubtless friendly hands waited
to bear them down to safety.
This was the hope that sustained
Charlie In the midst OF all this des.
perate ordeal-that an oasis lay be-
yond. the pure air of heaven awaited
them. once they passed the barrier.
He was weak and tottering himself.
from the effect of his e%xertions and
the pungent smoke, that many times
overcomes daring fire laddies as they
venture a trifle toe far--and yet he
thought only of Airline, thought she
must be in a condition Of collapse.
Nothing else could have possessed
him to suddenly snatch her up In his
arms and stagger on through the
binding, choking smoke.
At first she struggled, but when
he pressed her more fiercely to his
heart she lay passive.
Staggering alone like a drunken
man, Charlie endeavored to pass the
Rubicon-that SPOT where the sullen
glow was now continuous, and In
which he was presently to be engulfed
Just at the critical spot. where the
flames were bearing down along an
other passage, he sank heavily to the
floor.
Was this the end?
Had his brave fight come to naughti
In that dread moment, when defeat
stared him in the face, his heart al
most broke.
Airline had meanwhile struggled on,
OF his arms, for she had gone dowI
with him.
"Oh, Charlie, what shall do?" she
cried. in her wild alarm and distress
for the sea Of flame appeared so yer,
close that it seemed as though the
dread crisis were upon them.
"Fly. fly. Yonder lies safety III
cried. trying to get upon his knees
only to fall back. He, had sheltered
her at the expense OF his W strength
and now must pay the penalty.
But you-I can't leave you here!'
she sobbed, bending down to put hel
arms about his neck.
"You must. There is no hope To-
me, II I can | will crawl on; but 20,
-must-go. God forbid we shoult
both perish here Kiss me, Airline
and CO."
No. mol could not! DO not asl
me-"
1T is my desire; make haste Or
oh, Heaven! 1t is even now o late!
as a tongu of flame shot across tn
passage beyond,
Airline gave n shrek.
She frightened her hold upon him
desperation gave her strength, for sh
dragged the almost senseless ma
along toward safety.
Guardian angels must have hel,
back those cruel fangs until they ha'
passed the fatal place, for hardly wer
they beyond than, with a rush and
roar, the abyss of fire swallowed u
the spot where Charlie had been ovel
come.
Still she dragged him along. Low
gave her a power she had v know,
before: under its magical infuenc
weaklings become strong as lions an
perform prodigies of valor.
Through the smoke, almost owe
powered by its awful fumes, she wen
All! were those shouts just ahead
She shrieked aloud, and heard answeI
ing cries. CHEEKY cries that gave he
new hope, new ambition.
Then gigantic figures doomed up d.
, yond, and Airline swooned at the fee
OF the firemen, who picked 10Th
, them up in kindly arms n Dor
them into the fresh air.
! TIVE hours later Charlie, sadly a.
moralized so far as looks went. wit
bloodshot eyes, singed mustache' sar
! n portion OF his eyebrows, and wit
.,,dry hurps unOn face and hand