The St. Mary banner., 1903-06-06

sprang from his seat he saw this and
then, in one of the upper windows,
something else which made his heart
leap into his throat Now hidden by
the swirling and ever thickening
smoke, now revealed as the wind car
ried the cloud away. Michael made out
the agonized features of man plain
ly bewildercd by his peril. The flames
licked the lntels of the floor below
and stretched out hungrily toward
him. The danger grew momentarily
more grave. II he was to be saved it
must be at once Michael took in the
situation at a glance. Then he ran
into the building. He took the stair
ways to the third floor three steps at
time, but there his further progress
was barred. The air was suffocating
He groped blindly through it for the
| stairway to the fourth floor. 1t was
like twilight in the hall, although it
lacked still sometime of sunset. Over
head he heard family the crackle of
| burning wood and the far-off roar Of
| the flames. To advance was impossi-
BILE. He began to retreat, his rubber
coat wrapped tightly about his head
and his arms ever extended in front
Of him, feeling the way. At last he
found the stairway and rushed down
it,
Once in the street Michael took a
location of the white face in the win
dow, and tried again. Entering the
adjoining building he found the elevat-
or boy, shook him roughly by the arm
and bade him take his car to the sixth
floor at top speed. The frightened
boy obeyed readily. There, michael
made his way to the front window and
looked out. Far below him No. "a
throbbed and painted with its efforts
to pump sufficient stream through
the hose already leveled at the build
ing. Other engines were just arriving
and preparing to take up positions at
neighboring hydrants. A pygmy crowd
watched him intently, their anxious
faces upturned to the spot where he
stood. BY leaning far out Michael
could see the man in the adjoining
window. Cautioning him to keep still
he mentally figured the distance be-
tween them. 1nen he crawled out on
the SILL
Between Michael and the window
Of the burning house was space of
some six feet. 1t was too far to jump
but midway a narrow ledge jutted out
from the building. So narrow was it
that Michael would not have been able
to stand on it>without some assistance.
He looked around for something to
hold on to and found it in tangle of
electric light wires stretching along
the wall at his hand. Selling these he
swung one foot over on the ledge and
held out his right hand to the man in
the window leaning over as far as he
could without letting go of the wires.
Obeying directions, the man stepped
timidly out, clutching Michael's hand,
which held him to the side of the
building like wise. Then, as the driv.
er commanded, he inched along the
ledge till he reached the end. The hot
breath of the flames famed his face
and the smoke nearly shut off his
breathing. To the man, facing the is
sue Of life and death. on that slim
stone support 100 feet above the
street, the time during which he
inched along the ledge seemed inter
minable. 1t seemed ages longer be-
fore the fireman had slipped back his
foot to the other SILL Standing there
by almost snuperhuman strength, he
half swung half lifted the man to
place beside him and then in through
the window. 1t was done at last ami
mighty cheer greeted the act Fire
men mounting on scaling ladders ar
rived just in time to pull the exhaust
ed Michael and his trembling burden
out and take them down. The man had
swooned, but he soon recovered in the
fresh air. AS for Michael, he was a
hero
OF the great destruction wrought by
the fire, and the space in the newspa-
pers devoted to the Rescue by Fire
man Mcmillan" it is not necessary
to tell. The town raving with the
news. Michael took it all calmly and
modestly, as brave firemen should do.
In quarters that evening he was con-
graduated by his comrades and patted
on the back by his captain.
That evening a woman, closely muf- |
fed up, came to the firehouse inqIir- |
ing for Mr. Mcmillan. Under ordinsry |
visitors are not allowed |
to disturb the firemen, but the captain,
who knew the woman ,winked at a
breach OF discipline for once. Micha-
ell rung back at first refusing to see |
her, but big Jack Rainey pushed him
forward with laugh at his fear of |
the women folks"
Thus adjured, Michael faced the |
caller. For the moment there was 81
!ence, then she spoke. The first words |
sent thrill through Michael for it
was voice he vel! knew and loved.
Il saw the fire this afternoon,
Mike" she began.