Evening journal., 1903-05-29
THE GENERALS ORDERS


the door, but the general and some OF
his old comrades maintained their po-
sitions against the wall between the /
door and the near corner and managed /
TO accomplish something in straighten- /
ing out the tangle. Occasionally one /
OF the old soldiers would be caught in |
tie vortex and would come through, |
rasping with such breath as remained
iu his body: STEADY, steady, boysl
PLENTY of time" Then he would be
swept on down the stairs.
The building opposite was harfng
like n giant torch. Suddenly a gust Of
wind caught the fame and thrashed II
across the street as II II had been a
whip. OF fire. 1t struck the side Of Ar
morv hall with a crash, bursting the
glass in the window of the vesubule
ana letting I'm torrent OF heat.
The people at the head OF the stairs
screamed and rushed down faster. A
man turned to Cushing, crying, For
heavens sake, pull that boltw
at won't come" stammered Cushing.
'Tm a coward" he was saying to
himself I'm afraid right now.
want TO run, though blast me II know
why. That's what the general has seen
in me All along"
It was constantly in Cushlng's mind
that he ought 10 be at Dorothy's side.
or course it was utterly impossible for
him to enter the hall against the tide
OF humanity. He must simply wait for
her. but he resolved to desert his post
when she appeared and protect her
down the stairv.
Suddenly he was aware OF her. She
had tried TO stop by her fathers side.
The struggle to extricate herself had
turned her about, and she was thrust
through the doorway backward. As
soon as it was passed the pressure OF
the crowd relaxed, owing TO the width
Of the vestibule. Relieved OF this sup
port, the girl fell helpless at the foot Of
the stairway that led upward to the
loft.
Cushing forced his way across to
where she had fallen and raised her in
his arms. Instantly he was aware Of
the general Just beyond the door His
voice was clear above the noise OF the
crowd, the roar of the fire and the in
cessant beating OF the water which an
engine was now throwing upon the
face of the building.
Garry her upstairsw he cried.
Upstairs? The word came TO Cush
ing as in a dream. He knew that the
building was already aflre, and to gC
higher up in IL was TO invite death
Yet under this feeling was his convic
fion that the general meant what h'
raid; that he was cool in the midst ol
this excitement with a tried sol
aler's courage. Cushing was not cool
and he knew IT, His judgment at TIT
moment was not worth a penny. and hl
had the sense to perceive this fact II,
clasped Dorothy in his arms and fie6
up the stairs.
To his great surprise, a great mum
DER OF people followed him. Nearly
half OF those remaining in the hall
we're detected and took the stairs that
p'd high' Z.
The general overlook Gushing in the
/ loft above and led the way to tho rear
where there was a small window. Ev
erybody else had forgotten it. 1t open
. cd lust over tho fiat roof OF another
building, and upon this occasion 1t fur
l nished very easy exit for about tiftl
] people.
I Dorothy revived even before Cush
e. ing had carried her to the window, ant
J. she descended through the other build
b ing without assistance. She and he
p father and Gushing were the last t
n emerge.
d No sooner had Cushing's feet touches
the sidewalk than he was recognize
o and surrounded. 1t seemed that do7
70 ems Of hands were extended towar
him.
"Rv caorse SIR" cried some on