Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-01-21
CHAPTER xxxllI.

would he well then, in sheer, despera-
ton, he raised her to his shoulder
and rushed to the wings.
There he was met by sheet OF
fame which seemed to stretch from
end to end and bar his progress. He
turned and made for the other side,
but a wing had fallen across and here
again was a barrier.
At the back of the stage the flames
were rapidly making their way round,
the columns of smoke rose and tioated
towards him.
| He glanced frantically at the front
of the house, but the sight presented
by the struggling people, madly en-
| deayoring to force their way through
| the exits, made it evident that to carry
his burden in that direction meant
death, or at least broken limbs.
! There was nothing for it but to make
his way through the back of the stage
| before they were enveloped in a fiery
and deathly ring.
He knew that Joan had tainted By
the deafness OF her weight ana ner
quiescence, and he felt almost glad,
for ii she had still struggled time
would be lost and their case hopeless.
Holding her firmly in his strong
arms, he made his way across the
stage and succeeded in finding a small
opening, which had represented a door
i'll the scenery.
He rushed through this only just in
time, tor all that renamed OF the
scene fell moment afterwards, and
exactly on the spot where he had been
standing.
| Through the darkness caused by the
smoke, and relieved only by the tittul
glare OF flames, he made his way
stumbling sometimes over pieces OF
wood and ropes and at others almost
falling down the yawnIng pits OF traps
What direction he was taking he
did not know.
The yells OF the mob in the front OF
the house were now deadening by the
cracking and roaring OF the flames
and the sound OF the water thrown by
the steam engines, and which fell in
glittering cascades on the stage.
Presently he found himself in al
small space divided from the stage by
partition which the flames had not
yet reached
There was light enough from the
liyid reflection of the fire to see the
first steps of a staircase, and BERTHE,
though half in doubt and desperate,
was about to carry Joan down there
when it suddenly occurred to him that
some portion of the falling timber
might drop over the opening and con-
fine them in cellar which the SUI
locating smoke might transform into
veritable tomb for them.
| At this moment, as he stood I'M
decided, Joan stirred, and struggling
| family, uttered a moan
Still keeping his arm around her,
| he let her slip to the ground.
Where am II" she said, family,
then uttered an exclamation of dismay
as the recollection of the fire returned
| to her mind.
| Berries heart leapt at the sound of
her voice. Even in that supreme
moment of peril, a Wild mad feeling
of joy and satisfaction had taken pos
session of him.
Fate had decreed that he should go
to Coronet that night, that he should
meet her once more, that he should
save her.
This thought had run swiftly
through his brain, and echoed in his
heart while he had her in his arms.
Even as he had made his way across
the stage, with the fierce flames
stretching out on all sides of him, he
, had said to himself, Il shall save her
once more, this time from DEATH" and
the thought would have nerved him
even If he had lacked courage. which
| he did not,
| And now she spoke, her voice
thrilled him as it had thrilled him the
| first time he heard it. 1t was like the
picture opening its sweet lips at last.
A strange shyness fell upon him as
he looked at her. Her hair had slipped
from its coils, and hung in silken pro-
fusion over one shoulder, her face was
pale, her eyes soft and dreamy.
For Heavens sake don't be
| frightened. Where are we? In the
theater still?'
/ Yes. we are in the theater, think, ?
he said
i Then she remembered the panic
stricken people fighting and struggling
towards the doors, as she had seen
them in >-e last moment OF con-
/ seriousness, and she shuddered.
The poor people, the poor people.
she moaned, Are they safe? oh. it
is terrible,"
/ Even in that moment he noticed,
with a thrill of admiration and de-
{ votion, that her thoughts, her fears,
were not for herself.
Il trust they are all safe by this
time-or most of them" he replied.
There were several exits"
And generally locked" she cried,
wringing her generally lock-
ed, Oh, it is terrible,"
Yes, yes," he assented, hurriedly;