The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-08-23
CHAPTER VII.
THE COMEDIAN.

Not savage Hun, nor "baroarous VAN
dyke" nor demon Apache, could wish
to dwell upon the state of mind of the
chief of the Rouen volunteer fire de-
partment; therefore, let the curtain of
mercy descend. Without a word, he
turned and dragged the nozzle to the
eastern caves, whence, after a warn
ing gesture to those below, he dropped
it to the ground. And, out of COM
passion, it should be little more than
limited that the gesture of warning
was very slight.
When the rescued band reached the
foot of the last flight of stairs they
beheld the open doorway as a frame for
a great press of intent and contorted
faces, every eye still strained to watch
the roof; none of the narrowed specta-
tors comprehending the appearance of
the girls figure there, nor able to see
whittier she had led the five young
men, until Tappingham Marsh raised
shout as he leaped out of the door
and danced upon the solid earth again.
Then, indeed, there was mighty
uproar; cheer after cheer assembled to
the red vault of heaven; women went.
men whooped, and the people rushed
for the heroes with wide-open, welcom-
ing arms Jefferson Bareaud and
Frank Chenoweth and Gen Tumble
| dashed at Tom Vanrevel with inco-
herent cries of thanksgiving, shaking
his hands and beating him Historically
upon the back. He greeted them with
| bitter laughter.
Help get the water into the next
warehouse; this one is beyond control.
but we can save the other two. Take
| the lines in through the door," He
brushed the rejoicing friends off
abruptly, and went on in a queer, hol-
low voice: There are stairs-and I'm
so sorry I didn't think of it until a
moment ago; because you could have
| brought the water up that way!"
A remarkable case of desertion had
occurred, the previous instant, under
his eyes. AS the party emerged from
| the warehouse into the street Tom
heard Crailey say hurriedly to Miss
| Carewe: Let me get you away-come
| quickly" saw him suddenly seize her
! hand, and, eluding the onrushing
| crowd, run with her round the corner
of the building. And somehow,
through what inspiration, or through
what knowledge of his partners tenn
permanent" heaven knows the pro-
phetic soul of the chief was unhappily
| assured that Crailey would offer him
self as escort to her home, and find ac-
ceptance. But why not? Was it Graf
ley who had publicly called his fellow
man fool, idiot, imbecie, at the top of
his lungs, only to find himself the prov
en- numskull of the universe! Tom
stood for moment staring after the
vanishing pair, while over his face
stole the strangest expression that ever
man saw there; then, with meekly
bowed shoulders, he turned again to
his work.
At the corner of the warehouse, Miss
Carewe detached her hand from Graf
| ley's, yet still followed him as he made
a quick detour round the next build
| ing. A minute or two later they
found themselves, undetected. upon
Main street, in the rear of the crowd.
There CI-ailey paused.
Forgive me-" he said, breathlessly,
for taking your hand. l thought you
would like to get away"
| She regarded him gravely, so that he
found 1t difficult to read her looks, eX-
cept that il was seriously questloning
| but whether the interrogation was ad-
| dressed to him or to herself he could
! not determine. After a silence she
| said:
Il don't know why followed you. 1
believe it must have been because you
didn't give me time to think
| This, of course, made him even
quicker with her than before. It's all
over" he said briskly. The first ware
house is gone the second will go, but
they'll save the others easily enough,
now that you have pointed out that
the lines may be utilized otherwise
than as adjuncts of performances on
the high trapeze!" They were stand
ing by a picket fence, and he leaned
against it, overcome by mirth In which
she did not join. Her gravity reacted