The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1904-09-09

one OF the most effIclent III The state.
Given a good, hot fire to fight, and lin
was i'll the seventh heaven of ecstasy
The little manufacturing town did no
have many of these advertisements, bu
occasionally there was a lively blaze
The population was rough and careless
one, the art of kindling fires and improv
ing them with kerosene was not un
known among the housewives, the sa
looms were many and the liquor was bad
and as Il logical sequence Excelsior Hose
got called out often enough to give its
members Il right to call themselves rca
ilrcmen. As for Jim, he had a record
| There WAS Il handsome gold media
among the treasures of his little home. Ii
had been given to him for entering 4
burning building and saving three lives
ut the imminent risk of his OWN.
So. you see. Jim IIapgood, Devil Jim. -
was Il person of some consequence il
ClIapellicld. And here was Il stranger ol
SIX months residence imposing 4 fine and
! threatening him with dismissal because
| he had brought his car to the terminus Il
! few minutes ahead of schedule time. 1t
was more than mortal man could bear-
at least such Il man as Hapgond.
inns car pushed its way with varying
speed up the long grade which ended the
divide, beyond which was five-mie de-
scent to the river bank and the town
which stood upon it. The glow of the
furnaces seemed brighter than usual to-
night against the blue black armament,
but not until he reached the summit did
he realize that there was an unwonted
tongue of flame reaching ont frum the
clustering buildings.
"A fire, by jingo."
In an instant his troubles were blot ted
out. He forgot he was Jim Hapgood,
the motorman, and remembered only
that lie WAS the captain of the Excelsior
Hose and that he was needed where
that tongue of flame licked the black no.
rizon.
Flinging open the door, he uttered
roar which brought the sleeping conduc-
tor to his feet
Hi, Hank! !" said Hapgood. There's
fire in the town. Looks like big one
I'm goin' to run Ter it"
what do you mean, Jim: :"
Mean That I'm goin to let out
every notch and send this old car on the
run of its life. Thoughtful let you know,
SOS you could jump off if you are
aieared."
81 am afraid, Jim," said the conductor,
his face paling at the thought, "but my
place is on the car. Don't be rash, Jim"
mo, I'll not be rash, said Devil Jim,"
with smile. He slammed the door, let
go the handle OF the brake and turned the
lever as far as it would go. The bulky
car sprang forward and downward like
a catapult.
That ride Henry Beemis says he can
never forget. The great twenty-ton Car
rocked like a rocking horse. Its four
wheels were never on the track at once
And all the while the speed was accele-
rrting, for Jim Hapgood had no thought
of using brake, and the grade was stead
lily downward. His thoughts were far
ahead, in the pillar of flame now growing
portentiously large and near, wherein he
saw his duty.
The bearded giant stood in the scant
protection Of his vestibu!cd front, mod
crn Thor framed in ice. His eyes glowed
with the joy Of the soldier riding to the
charge. He thought not of himself nor
of the poor scared conductor behind him.
ITS a wonder my hair didn't turn
white" said Beemis afterward but
what could do? He'd a killed me if
had interiered. l just hung on to the
straps an sort o prayed"
But there is special providence for
brave men. The car, which seemed in the
air most OF tie time, did not leave the rails
AS the mad thing whrlcd into the out
skirts of the town Jim set his heel to the
gong and for the next half mile executed
a devils chorus which awokc many
sleeperS along the way who had not been
reused before by the dull toling of the
church bells.
AS he nearcd the terminal Inns strained
eyes caught sight of the fire in an opening
between other buildings. 1t was large
white frame structure on a little eminencc,
one a." Of which was blazing fiercely.
Jim uttered a Strangled cry.
1t was the house OF Harker, the super
intendent.
The car was Stacking speed and was
running moderately when Jim caught the
sound of a he'll he loved-the bell of Ex-
celSior Hose, which was coming down
cross street as fast as handful of men
and boys could pull it.
Jim flung open the door and jumped
from the car, leavingit to run with lessen
ing speed on to siding and into a line
OF cars standing there. He smiled when
he heard the crash, but Il moment later
was climbing up behind his cart and get
ting into his hrcman's toys, which hung
where could get at them handily.
There had been only the most dcsultory
attempt to check the flames. for. while
willing hands were plenty, they needed a
leader. They did not want for one long.
Jim Hapgood took command as natural
" as if he had been born to the purple of a
fire chiefs existence, and in less time than
it takes to write it he had several lines of
hose connected with the hydrants.
The wing in which the fire started was
doomed, but there was a good chance,
with we'll directed efforts. of saving the
rest. In short time Jim had half hun
dred stout fellows bombarding the blaz-
ing pile with streams.
But where was Harker all this time:
He was not the sort of man to keep in
the background. inns eyes scanned the
faces of the workers and those of the
crowd back of them. Nowhere did he
see the boss whom he loved so little or
the faces of Mrs Harker and the two
little girls.
BLAKE" said Jim Hapgood. "a couple
of axes, quick. Come this way with me.
moment later they were beating down
the front door of the building 1t fell in