The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-04-05

little column Of smoke went up, ant
then a little line of flame leaped along
and ran swiftly from n point to anoth'
er. Leathwood chuckled softly to him
| self, ran around the room, dropped
light here and there, and then %retreate'
to the door. Quite q respectable blaz
had started by the time he closed tn
door and began to make his way int,
the second house.
Now. he had given very careful in
structions to Mr.. Cornelius Veever'
that that gentleman and the girl DIV
were to be in waiting for him at tn
door, ready to depart instantly. There
fore, when he slipped through the pas
sage which led from one house to tn
other, calling softly as he went, he wal
naturally very much astonished at re
c living no reply. He ran up on tn
stairs and thrust open the door of Oh
ives room. never dreaming for a mo-
ment that the girl and Mrs. Reeks were
crouched within. with the dead Corne'
Illus at their feet. Hearing no sound,
he ran on, higher still, impatiently call
ing to the old man, n still receiving
no reply. At. the top of the stairs hi
stopped, bewildered and a little fright
ened.
81 wonder If that old rascal has sold
me?" he muttered to himself. Hes
Just the sort to tur tail at the last and
make a bolt for it; he liked being
mixed up in that first affair, and it's
quite possible he may funk this second
one. But what on earth has he done
with the girl?"
His n desire was to get away from
tho n1aoo on6 loo yya fno fro he hat
started to Go its W work.. but he did
not meal to go without the girl. He
mad striven hard enough to gain her,
and the way was now absolutely clear;
he had put his hand to the business,
and did not meal to be defeated at the
last moment. He started down the
house again, calling the girl sharply by
name.
But it seemed to be a house of the
ccad-not a whisper in 1t anywhere. A
strange feeling of dread crept over him;
at the foot of the stairs he hesitated a
moment, Matchmaking up his mind to go
away from the place alone, without
troubling about Olive. but the thought
came to him only for a moment; the
next he set his teeth and swore that he
would find her, whatever happened.
Coming to the very bottom Of the
house, and finding nothing, a sudden
thought came to him-a thought which
appeared to give a direct solution Of the
matter. He laughed aloud as it struck
him.
II never thought Of that" he whis-
pered. 1.-THE little fool has gone to find
her lover. She has been in the habit Of
going into that house; missing him
here, she'd so, naturally enough, to
look for him there. Well, my mad
beauty, I'll have you out of that"
He pulled open the door Of the pas
sage which led from one house to the
other and darted along it. AS he burst
into the oom into which it opened, he
saw, at the farther side, the figure Of a
woman just opening the door which led
to the staircase communicating with
the rpe rooms of the house. She car
ried a light In n hand; turning, and
seeing him, she dropped it, and was in
stantly in darkness; he heard that far
ther door close behind her-heard hur-
ried steps upon the stairs. He ran for
ward, crying to her, f~rantically: col
i've! Olive! For heavens sake, come
back, Olive!"
L SluAAAbASo oSAOSS IAAO AOoAA LA
was scme little time in finding the door.
But he found it at last and pulled It
open, and ven laundering up the
stairs, still crying her name. Reaching
the first floor, he glanced down the
other staircase, which led to the room
in which he had kindled the fire. The
smoke f1oated up to him chokingly, and
h. could hear the fierce cracking of
the burning wood. With his excite
ment and anxiety at fever heat, he
dashed up the stairs, past the room in
which he had left Gilbert, still crying
the name Of the girl. And, above him,
he could hear the feet going on.
"She's mad, indeed!" he muttered, Is
he stumbled on. It'll be lucky If I get
her out tefore we're overtaken by the
flames. I almost wish I'd. left her alone.
Curse this darkness! How the smoke
comes rolling up!"
He stopped at last, b~ewildered, and
struck a light; glancing up as he did
so, he saw the filter Of a woman's
dress just above, him. Still crying that
name, he started in pursuit once more
begging the flying figure before him,
with every word Of endearment that
occurred to him, to stop and listen to
him. u
He had reached the top Of the house:
fumbling blindly in the darkness, and
hearing with terror the roar Of the
flames below, he plunged through an
open doorway and found himself in q
room; struck q light again. and saw
the figure he sought at the farther end
Of it. Holding the tiny flame above his
head, he advanced toward the figure.
with one hand stretched out to touch 1t,
and spoke, IN q voice Of entreaty
"Olivc. my sweet girl, don't run away
from me like this! We are in danger.
I have come tot find you-to a ~ you.
You have nothing to fear; only come
with me at once. Olive, do you hear
me?"
The woman before him came slowly
forward, keeping close against the wall.
Blythe pickering ligth Of the. match he
saw her coming along. shrinking from
him, and with her face bent down, 50
got near him, she darted past and
gained the door. slammed It quickly
and set her back against It. Nugent.
going nearer. with that tiny taper n
his fingers, looked at the face OF the
woman-turned % him for the first
time---and dropped the light. with e
cry:
Ursula"
They were In complete darkness; and
he could not see the wonan's face, but
he had seen 1t In: that one instant, and
he knew the voice when she spoke.
Eyes. Ursula." she said. Not the