The Red Cloud chief., 1902-07-18


Ten men could not have kept our
Charlie from pushing in.
He shouted that he was n guest.
and then rushed inside; nor did the
man. after one look at his haggard
face, attempt to say him nay.
Charlie avoided tic office. where
men swarmCd. and orders were shout
ed that could never be obeycd.
His business was aloft.
She vas there exposed To n fright.
full death, and he felt that he lived
but to save her!
So up he bounded. three steps at a
time.
Ono thing he must rcmCmbcr-thc
Windsor was famous AS a caravan
sary where IA stranger might easily
lose himself in the many passages.
To do so now would he indeed fatal
to all his hopes.
He found smoke everywhere, and
even fanCied he could hear the crack.
ling of flames. though the whole place
was in such n turmoil that could
not be sure of this.
He also met numerous persons. fly.
ing this way and that. maddencd with
fear.
Some hardly knew whittier they
went, and appealed frantically To this
Cool.hcadcd mar ~bcsceching him, for
heavens sake, to tell them where the
stairs could be found.
Nor did he fail to direct them, every
one, even while he pushed on to the
a. flight.
Up, up, h went. still finding smoke
c~ircling along the halls. through
which women staggered, %shrieking
their appalling distress.
II was a terrifying picture.
There were comical elements In.
jected into 1t. OF course, but no II
had the heart to laugh.
Charlie knew in his heart a dread
full calamity was Notwithstanding
short of a miracle could save the
great structure now, and the days of
miracles appear to be past.
Perhaps scores of human lives
would be- sacrificed to the demon Of
tire-mostly helpless women, EN-.
ployes or guests, who had been view
ing the parade from the upper win.
dows.
The mere fact that such a draught
passed through the halls from these
open windows would hasten the total
demolition of the whole structure and
make il more certain.
Had Charlie no sacred duty of his
" to perform, he would have gladly
! Inyntnl oil nf biy Time t,u,,rt nfp,,t
ing the rescue of these terrified girls.
As it was, he could only think of
Airline.
Her lovely face was before his eyes
and seemed to plead with him to
make haste.
The smoke was growing even more
dense, and he had to push close to
the doors to distinguish the numbers,
in order to make sure that he was on
the right floor.
At last this knowledge came to
him.
The opportunity was in his grasp.
Here the same conditions seemed to
abound-therc was smoke in plenty,
frenzied maids and flying figures
darling through IL all like spectres.
Charlie was somewhat out of breath
as a result of his steady climb, but
otherwise in good physical condition.
He had the number of Arline's
room well in his mind-the house
had been crowded, and these we're the
best at her service, though the clerk
had promised her a suite neal the
McKinleys after that day.
What If he could have made a mis-.
take in any way? The wretched con
sequences almost paralyzed him 20
ever think of it.
Eagerly he had scanned each flying
or crOuching female figure he met, in
the hope that he might thus discover
the one he sought.
But as yet he had not found her.
Even in that smoke-laden atmos.
phere he knew he could not mistake
her figure, while n note from her
voice must have thrilled him through
and through.
ITO be continucd.)