Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1903-12-31

thing we had and neither of us would
dare to-"
"Oh, now | see!" exclaimed Pinkey
in an anguish of despair. you think
am timid woman-a coward, afraid
| of the dark; but l will prove that
am every inch man. I'll prove ii! y
| and, unable to say more, he rushed
| from the house.
| AS he hurried ainllessly along the
street his mind was filled with but one
| thought-that she considered him an
effeminate being more ornamental
than useful. But he would show ner--
he would yet make her acknowledge
that he was man, even If he didn't
crash through the country in an auto
mobile, or pull in barge in the broil-
ing sun, down the bay. But how should
he do it? He hadn't the least idea of
how to bring about an event in which
| to prove his bravery, and although he
the conclusion that he would have TO
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
plnging runaway or dragging his Dat
tered forIn-in whose arms reposed a
fair victini-from the debris of 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-
dies at the first suspicious move; or,
If he saw car about to go out upon
bridge or trestle. he waited until it
was safely over lest the structure give
way and precipitate it to the depths
below.
Thus he waited on when, one night,
as he was returning from his club
rather late, he was startled by the sud-
and in another moment an engine and
trucks had crashed by IN answer to an
alarm. Perhaps this was his oppor-
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 medical college. The smoke was
rolling from the windows at the far
end of the structure in great black
clouds. occasionally lit up by lurid
tongu, of flame. Standing round was
great throng, kept back by GORDON
of police
Pushing his way through the closely
packed mass to the front, he stood for
moment gazing at the burning build
ing Perhaps there yet remained some
one cut off 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 a 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 clept
quickly along close to the wall until
he suddenly brought up against door,
which, upon being pushed open, emit
ted still greater volume of smoke,
nearly choking him. He lay still for
a moment until he again caught his
breath and then pushed into the room.
He could not see, but as he crept for
ward his hand suddenly struck against
something which. on feeling farther,
proved to be human form; evidently
someone overcome by the fumes and
smoke. When he reached over to
grasp the unconscious form to drag il
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 MS
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,
WueIG ne WAS at once DullODUOleQ by
reporter who inquired his name; the
rescued having been taken away in
ambulances.
AS he slowly proceeded homeward
some hours later he presented a sorry
spectacle; his hat was gone, mis-
clothes were soiled and rumpled, While
his collar hung forlorn wreck about
his neck But then what were appear
ances TO him now? Hadn't he vindi-
Gated himself; proved his worth?
What would she say now? And his
heart leapt at the thought of his vic
tory,
1t 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 papersl With bound he was out
OF bed, and partially dressed, rusned
down stairs and. seizing the mornings
paper, just brought in, feverlsGfy
scanned its columns for an account of
the fire. Yes, there 1t was, in big