, 1902-12-13

the girls slight form. lump ;eI.Jelf,
at once he .@.-!..od.
q carIoc. My feet A. nopelessly
ldsteu1l -"
And you have made no effort to
FREQ yourself. Oh. john was his
hopeless, reproachful cry.
Dix looked at the girl, shaking his
head. warnin3ly. No time" he muir
INJURED.
And the car on fire! Men, do you
hear that?' cried the aged minister,
selling hold of the trainmen who were
running by. Save him-save my
SON"
The smoke-blackened men sprang
through the shattered opening and
worked with ~frenzieG haste, but their
resClute conferences were n despair
ing look.
IF we had ten-ive minutes more
we might get him out"
Dix looked at his father. and his
face, though set in heroic lines, grew
ashen at the sight of the agonized
features. He handed him his watch,
"a ttAsN Az BoNN1SS vi 4flolIlCl .
and tell her-" he finished the SEN
tence with such a hand-clasp as a man
who realized that he is starting on
the last journey gives.
1--WE car a V him by cutting his
feet off" chokiugIy cried the men,
for the smoke was ~suflocatingly thick,
and the flames steadily advancing.
Il forbid it," cried a clear, incisive
voice. Protect him with this, and
work for YOU lives"
Beulah had slipped off her dress
skirt of heavy wooden, fastened the
waisthaDd with Il hat pin. filled the
skirt with snow put in other pins to
hold it, and was passing it to the men.
Nov. work faster, faster!" she i'm
peT1ously cried. Bring a stout iron
bar" she commanded a terrorstrick-
en- ~bystander. Your own price, men,
if you free him without mutilation."
Her spirit and GOODNESS were infec-
tious. Heroically the men kept at
their task; the tigerisL. flames that
had been stealthily creeping came
leaping on with hot, hungry tongues,
yet they worked calmly, steadily, in
unison-not for hope of reward, but
because a fellow beings life was in
jeopardy-because the girls intrepid
spirit and their own brave, unselfsh-
ness were in touch.
There was a rasping sound, the re.
bellion of metal against the mastery
Of metal, a spiinterIng Of wood, the
leapiug of two men from the very
jaws Of the merry furnace dragging al
ter them q nearly suffocated form. A
great shout went up as the brave res.
cuer touched the ground; another. as
Dix staggered to his feet, then a tn.
multuous cutlery as he picked up the
shivering little figure in a gay silk
petticoat, stripped off the remains of
his ulster. wrapped her in it, and bore
her to a place of safety.
ITO think that l judged you weak
and frivolous!" he remorsefully whis.
pered.
And hal | thought you were self
ish," sobbed Beulah. Then, woman
like, IT'S all up with the wedding"
said she, lit 1lll be too late, and
probably my trunk IS destroyed. I
couldn't very well be bridesmaid in a
| red and black taffeta petticoat."
You might wear my ulster" grave
ly suggested Dix. And as this is the
Reverend Doctor Dix, my father, who
is to perform the ceremony at the
Douglas-Lynd wedding. where l
imagine we re both going. we are
pretty sure not to miss the occasion"
Doctor Dix took Beulah's hand in a
fe-vent, though trembling grasp, cry
ing brokenly, But for your intrepid
ity and presence of mind l should be
childless."
And except for your sons bravery
and self-abnegation | rhould be a
charred m~ass-like that" She shud.
deringly exclaimed turning her nMa
as a ~siCAening burden was borne past.
And it was planned" she added
between smiles and tears, that the
best man. who is a woman-hater, was
10 fall in love with me-"
"A plan which will work WELL" re-
'ur-cd Dix, huskily, but with a tender
light in his fine eyes. for I am the
best man and | already love the
IN who .:ayed me not only frcm
death. but from THAI which would
have been infinitely worse"