The Monticellonian., 1903-12-31


 he do it? He hadn't the least idea oi how to bring about an event in which to prove his bravery, and although he chafed at the delay, he was forced to the conclusion that he would have tc wait until an opportunity presented it. self. From now on his every energy was bent to this end
 He eagerly conned the papers from day to day for accounts of fires or other disasters in which bravery could be shown; and continually pictured himself hanging from the bit of a piungfng runaway or dragging his pat tered form-in whose arms reposed a fair victim-from the debris of a rail- road wreck
 As he walked the streets he kept a : close watch upon all equines in sight, and was ready to spring at their bri- 1 dies at the first suspicious move: or, II he saw car about to go out upon bridge or trestle, he waited until it was safely over lest the structure give way and preeipitate it to the depths i below.
 Thus he waited on when, one night, as he was returning from his club rather late, he was startled by the sud- den changing of a gong behind him, and in another moment an engine and trucks had crashed by III answer to an alarm Perhaps this was his oppCr- tunity-who could tell! In another moment he was hurrying along with the throng in the wake of the engine
 The fire proved to be in a large building, one half of which was used as a medical college The smoke was rolling from the windows at the far end of the structure in great black clouds, occasionally lit up by d luJid tongue of flame Standing round was a great throng, kept back by a cor.lon of police.
 Pushing his way through the closely a moment gazing at the burning build ing. Perhaps there yet remained some one cut of from escape. Espying an open door at the rear he suddenly hurled himself from the throng, across the open space and entered. From the door flight of steps led upward, and, dashing up, he found himself in long hall or corridor which was rapid ly filling with smoke Getting down on his hands and knees he crept quickly along close to the wall until he suddenly brought up against a dcor, which, upon being pushed open, emit ted still greater volume of smoke, nearly choking him. He lay still for moment until he again caught hls breath and then pushed into the rcon He could not see, but as he crept for ward his hand suddenly struck against something which, on feeling farther, proved to be a human form; evidently someone overcome by the fumes and smoke. When he reached over to grasp the unconscious form to drag it from the room his hand came in con tact with another lying close to the first. By a superhuman effort he lift ed one of the inanimate forms in iIis arms and half carried, half dragged it through the hall, down the stairs to the street. Rushing back through the smoke, nearly strangled, he succeeded in reaching the other body and bear ing it down, when he fell, nearly over come
 Willing hands helped him back across the open space to the crowd, where he was at once buttonholed by a reporter who inquired his name; the rescued having been taken away in ambulanees.
 AS he slowly proceeded homeward some hours later he presented a sorry spectacle; his hat was gone, nis clothes were soiled and rumpled, whiie his collar hung forlorn wreck about his neck. But then what were appear ances to him now? Hadn't he vindi- cated himself; proved his worth? What would she say now? And his heart leapt at the thought of his vic tory.
 It was late the next morning when he arose, stiff and sore. His first thought was what she would think of him now when she saw the papers the papers! With bound he was out of bed, and partially dressed, rushed down stairs and. seizing the mornings paper, just brought in, feverisky scanned it's columns for an account of the fire. Yes, there it was, in big headlines
 Big blaze. The Bank block nearly destroyed by fire."
 Following this was an account of the fire, but no mention of his part Yes there it was, farther down:
 An incident of the fire was the ac- ton of a young man we'll known in so- ciety who, in his excitement, rushed into the building and, making his way to the rooms of the Probem Medical College, rescued two supposed victims of suffocation, which proved to be a pair of cadavers recently delivered to the dissecting room of the"
 The papers fell from Pinkey's hand and he fell into a chair.
 Maud has not yet received the proof