The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-03-16
FIREpROOF
By Morice Cirard

while the band rested from its laborS
and the gay assemblage prepared 1t.
self for the next item in tie pro-
gramme.
There seems something specially in
congruOus in blank despair gripping
the heart under such conditions. The
brilliancy of the lights, the beautiful
dresses and conspicuous uniforms all
seemed to mock the gnawing pain at
Gerald's heart.
Bertha Reeve ana Lord Dayre passed
the aicove. AS they did so these words
fell, sof,ly rs they We're spoken. ol
two pairs of ears: Il hardly know
what TO say; it is all so unexpected.
You do not wish me to decide to-
night"
May I come for NY answer to.
morrow"
Thea the speakers passed out of
E2nring Of those involuntary listen
CrS.
II cannot stay here" MOuntjoy said,
in horse whisper, very unlike his
usual tones. The air of the place
chokes me. I shall get away without
they do. make some excuse 20 Sir Har-
ry and Lady Gayter. Say | was ;ak-
en- bad, or something"
With squeeze of the hand Gerald
slipped out Of the alcoyc. Mcchani-
cally he found his coast and hat, and
then went out at the hall door. He was
glad that the stables were likely 10 be
deserted. He had not brought n
groom himself. In his present state
OF mind lie hated TO have TO make
even trivial explanations and excuses.
With some difficulty he managed to
find his own mare among the hundred
horses tetbered wherever standing
room under cover could he found. The
carriages We're outside in the great
yard.
Gerald was just Issuing from the
stables when he heard great shout
ing from the direction of the castle.
He let go his mares bridle: she gal
loped out of the yard and disappeared
Mountjoy smelt burning wood, He
ran toward the entrance OF the court
yard. When he reached the great
gates his heart stood still. All the
basement and ground floor of Mellans
were in flames. Panelled and lined, as
the fine old rooms were. with oak. dry
as tinder centuries old. with great
staircase of similar material in the
centre, the castle was just adapted for
rapid confagraton.
AS 1t turned out afterward. when
investigation into the cause of the out
break was made. the fire originated
the buffers pantry.
Gerald rushed to the main entrance,
before which crowd of guests were
standing. They all seemed paralyzed
with fear. The young man brushed
them to one side. He could see Bertha
Reeve nowhere. She must be in the
burning building still. And there was
Ingold. too, the man he loved best in
the world.
Gerald dashed into the hall. meeting
overwhelming smoke. He was chok-
ing. and his eyes We're smarting and
red hot. He could hear the cries of
girls. the shouting of men above. In
his frenzy he could have flung himself
into the flames which danced before
him.
Then an arm was laid upon his
shoulder, and he was half dragged,
n Inh laA
whose courage was of that order which
rises calm and resOlute to the greatest
emergency.
The men, under Ingold's direction,
were bringing up long ladders.
Up and down they went in relays,
bringing in their arms falnting wo-
men. The gentlemen above either
helped by handing insensble burdens
to the rescuers, or stood back to wait
their turn.
Half dozen times Gerald had been
up and down the ladder he had made
his own. IngOld was at the next. On
each journey he had brought some one
to the outside air and safety. and then
handed her to another willing helper
TO take away. But that some one was
not the girl for whom, with glad prod
igality, he would have given his life.
Then at rhe last. when almost all were
saved. Gerald saw Bertha. He
jumped from the ladder top through
the window and ran TO her. The
iames We're at the back OF her, and
had begun TO SINCE her light dress.
Lord Dayre was still by her side. Just
as Mountj0y reached her she was over.
come and tottered backwards. Lord
Dayre. with a quick effort. saved her
from falling. There were now only
these two and Gerald left at that end
the most dangerous part of the great
salon. Some devil seized him, whis-
perlng In his ear: "She has half Civ
en- herself to Dayre; let him save her {"
For years the memory OF that terrible
lapse haunted him.
"Take her. Dayre. oud carry her
down."
The peer was hardly able to support
Bertha's weight. much less carry her
down the ladder. He glanced at the
x,iulox., stI..l .xslth tha a1dxipO ctpcto.