The Red Cloud chief., 1902-07-25
osp--ish, 1901. Stree, and Smith. New YORK.
= XIV.
A Battle of Giants,

They were crazed for the time be.
ing and could not be blamed.
Many a precious life went out that
fatal day, that might have been saved
by the exercise of a little Judgment
and GOODNESS; for OF all the attributes
which mortal nan inherits or &C.
quires these prove the richest legacy
In such a time Of actual panic.
Having taken his bearings. and
discovered which way the numbers
ran, Charlie started upon what he be.
lid<ed was the last leg Of his course.
Now he must speedily realize the
worst: IL he came upon Arline's rooms
and found them empty, he would
know she was somewhere about the
Intricate passages, lost and facing
death, as when ne first found her.
What a travesty of fate such a
thing would be.
Tragedies were being enacted with.
In those walls, that had many times
echoed with the sounds of gayety,
and now rang with shrieks; already
ne greedy fire fiend had cut off many
from escape, and yearned to encom-
pass their destruction.
Some doors were closed, but the
majority stood gaping wide open,
whence the terrified occupants had
fed just as they were.
In passing one of these Charlie had
a glimpse of a lady, richly attired.
bending over an open trunk, evidently
seeking to lay hold of her precious
jewel boxes ere flying.
Mayhap they cost her what all the
jewels from Cleopatra's day to this
ccGild not replace-life.
Once a woman had seized upon him
-crazed by fear, she clutched him as
a drowning man might a straw.
Charlie could not have his mission
jeopardized by such detention-he
was compelled to break away, shout
ing at the anne time for her to go to
the stairs and descend while the
chance remained. God only knew
how long this golden opportunity
might be held out to them, for the
greedy flames were making hideous
Roadway and presently the entire
building would be a charnal house.
al oDSldCt 10 Hdu tHuS lar DceH
overcome by lis iron will-determin-
ed to reach i'd save Airline, he had
swept them a ide as the March wind
whirls the dui t o. of it's path.
But the enc was not.
One barrier remained.
Charlie sus )ected Il not until the
thing burst NJ on him, sudden and I'M
expected rs lightning from the clear
sky overhead
Again a de aiming hand.
This time 1t brought his forward
movement to a complete stop, and
he realized II ere was something more
serious In tie detention than when
the poor gro yeling chambermaid had
clutched his knees.
1t was a man; through the haze he
had see hi presence without pay
ing the least attention to him, and
now the fell, W, probably as terrified
as the WON n. frantically chung to
him.
ITO the Ytairs or the fire escape!
let go!" shouted Charlie, and when
the other laughed with devilish glee
in his ear Stuart turned his head to
see close to his own the face of the
togus Capt. Brand. transformed by
passion into the c~ountenance Of q
fiend.
Was II accident or deep design that
brought Macauley to this floor Of the
hotel at such a tragical moment?
When Charlie felt that grip on his
arm and looked into the maddened
orbs of the ogre, he seemed to realize
that a great crisis in his life had
arrived.
The stake was Arline's love.
This man might be innocent or
guilty of murderous design, but APP
~pearances were nightly against him.
AHis manner indicated as plainly as
words: This far shall you come and
no farther"
Instinct warned Charlie to prepare
for the worst, to throw himself into a
position that was aggressive even
while defensive.
1t was a wise precaution, for the
other, even while he continued to
glare ~malevolently into his face, sud
denly threw himself upon Stuart.
AS he expected, Charlie found Ma
cauley a man gifted with tremendous
muscular power. Like trained ath'
lees, the two men whirled around,
each seeking the downfall of the
other.
To Charlie each second meant a
closer approach of doom, while with
the other the passage of time brought
savage satisfaction, as his base plans
grew nearer realization.
Charlie retracted a step mastering
every atom of'power in his muscular
frame for the storm which he meant
to spring upon the already gloating
enemy.
NMacauley was drunk with the sue
cess that had seemed to be already
within his grasp.
He thus could be taken on his
guard, and c,1ce in retreat, complete
rout mtsSA,-ow,
So SUI Sen was the attack. so over