The Red Cloud chief., 1902-08-01
oar Sish, 1901. Street and smith. New York.
AAPTER Nv. -(Coutinu.d.)

able.
He believed some unseen hand guild.
ed him. and there was a certain bold
confidence in his intrepid heart that
all would yet be well-all must be
well. since Airline loved him. Heaven
could not be so cruel as to give him
this fleeing glimpse into paradise.
lust as Moses was allowed to look
over into the Promised Land, and
then snatch him away forever.
D II was this positive belief in ulti.
mate escape that bore him up SO well,
that kept his brain as clear as a bell.
and prevented a confusion Of ideas
such as must have proven fatal to
his chances.
The two fugitives ran the gauntlet
in safety. although there was a time
when Charlie began to fear their prog.
ress would be cut off. so tercely dill
the savage flames roll along.
Luckily an opening occurred,
through which he rushed, half bearing
Airline.
To retreat meant destruction. ~
he well knew. and their only hope
now was to push grimly on.
One thing favored them-close to
the fire the smoke was not so suffo.
cating-in some Of the corridors II
was so dense that many poor bewil-
dered, wandering souls must have
been asphyxiated long before the fire
reached them.
Charles first hope was to find some
stairway designed for the help. If such
existed, through which the fiery
/ streamers had not been drawn.
: He saw many roofs here and there,
some towering buildings, and a thou
sand heads in places of vantage. where
the whole dread spectacle could be oh.
served.
He saw where a nance offered, TX
one could but reach the next lower
floor. but it was not open TO them
here.
Quick as a fash he darted into an
adjoining room: il had two beds in
il, and from these he whipped the
sheets.
The sheets, torn lengthwise and
knotted together. would serve the pur.
pose he had in view.
Even while he was ripping them in
broad strips and knotting them to.
Gether, Stuart kept watch and Yard
over the flames.
Again he looked down: everything
appeared f~avorable-at least, there was
as yet no sign OF flames bursting out
below him.
How %furiously ne worked!-how with
clinched teeth he tested each knot!
That rude rope was to bear a burden
that was very precious to him, and he
did not mean 1t should betray him.
-. II was all lone in an incredibly
= short time. though doubtless under
such a fearful strain II seemed hours
to those whose lives and future happi'
ness hung by a thread, as 1t were.
Charlie knotted one end around Ar
line. while her eyes looked into his
with a bravery he would never, never
forget.
She knew this desperate move OF
his wal the only hope they had.
So she shut her teeth hard together
and crushed down the wall that nut
tered in her throat-the womanly fear
of facing peril. such as men can hard
ly appreciate.
While he worked in this way Charlie
was busy explaining to Airline, as sim
ply as words could do, what her part
was TO be.
Never to his dying day would Char
Iieforget how she looked into his eyes
as she crouched there on the broad
sill of the window. and gave him even
a piteous smile meant to be encour
aging.
Then she was gone!
He thought his heart had broken
such was the wrench 1t received wheI
she passed from his sight, and he re
allied that she hung there In midail
with only a frail sheeted rope between
herself and eternity.
Then elapsed a few seconds tina
seemed years.
Never had he experienced a more
radical sensation Of extreme JOY thar
when there came three quick tugs a
the rope, the signal she was TO giv'
when she had secured a lodgment OF
the window sill below, and desired
more line in order to enter.
Quickly he allowed 1t to slip through
I his fingers so that she might releas'
herself from the moose ere he made tn
attempt TO descend.
The flames were now driving alonl
the corridor, and it seemed as thoug'
they would reach the open window er
another minute had elapsed.
To a mar of Stuart's build and att
letic qualities 1t was a mere bagateii
to accomplish this feat; his only dan
ger seemed to lie in a fracture OF IN
rope.
Like magic he dropped down an
arrived opposite the window.
A pair of arms shot out and seize
him; Airline was on the watch an
much distressed lest something shoui
happen to him.
Am arlie was thankful enough
craul tbrouph tha blessed WINDOW