Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-01-27

affection"
why. Miss handsomely, you must
have known-surely you must have
seen how much I think of you-how
much you are to mel"
It was with regret now that she
thought Of the advice OF Rose, but II
was too late; and the ludicrous side OF
the thing appearing to her, she with
difficulty suppressed desire to laugh
outright as she replied:
Now, Mr.. Pinkington, don't you
think it would be very inconvenient
arrangement If we were to marry: for
you are so very timid, and being only
girl, am not inclined TO superfiu-
ity Of bravery. Why, burglars could
come into the house and take every
thing we had and neither Of us would
dare to"
"Oh, now l sect. exclaimed PinlSey,
in an anguish of despair. "You think
I am a timid woman-a coward, afraid
of the dark: but will prove that
am every inch man. I'll prove lit"
and. unable to say more, he rushed
from the house.
As he hurried aimlessly along the
street his mind was filed 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
chafed at the delay, he was forced to
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
plunging runaway or dragging his Dat
tered form-in whose arms reposed
fair victim-from the debris of rail
road wreck
AS he walked the streets he kept
close watch upon all equines in sight,
and was ready to spring at their bril-
dies at the first suspicious move; or,
II he saw car about to go out uCon
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-
den changing of a gong behind him,
and in another moment an engine and
trucks had crashed by IN answer to an
! alarm. Perhaps this was his oppcr
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 a medical college The smoke was
| rolling from the windows at the far
end of the structure in great black
clouds, occasionally lit up by luyid
tongue of flame. Standing round was
a great throng, kept back by a cor.lon
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 fight of steps led upward,
and, dashing up, he found himself in a
lfNYlcr ho1l = SaI. Il
ly filling with smoke. Getting down
on his hands and knees he crept
quickly along close to the wall until
he suddenly brought up against door,
WEIGH, upon being pushed open, emit
ted still greater volume of smoke,
nearly choking him. He lay still for
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 fern to drag il
from the room his hand came in con-
tact with another lying close to the
first By superhuman effort he lift
ed one of the inanimate forms in his
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, wnen he fell, nearly over
come.
Willing hands helped him back
across the open space to the crowd,