Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-08-04

/
tered the fireman, as he rushed into the
night air with the silver and bric-a-brac.
and a game one, at that"
The flames were already raging
through the upper rooms as Jack plunged
again into, the house and blindly CROPPED
his way along the floor. snatehing at any
and everything he could remove from
the house.
Great books from the library, a
broken clock, a mat, a handful OF lace
curtains and draperies, and all the
time a great roaring and laundering Of
the flames, the engines, and human
voices around him.
BY this time his face was so black his
mate would not have known him. At that
very moment he was grooming to the
baby on the lawn several hundred feet
from the house, while the maid pinched
and pushed, slammed and almost brow
beat the child, apparently with the idea
/ that If IT was not yet injured, it by
rights ought to be, and all the time tell
ing him what brave, good. honest man
he was; but failing to note that his
smoke-colored face in segments showed
even redder than the devouring flames
through which the smoke rings.
Suddenly the woman grasped him by
the arm with cry. There were Mrs
Kinney's watches, gold and silver, lying
on the table in her room in pearl-cov-
| cred box; and before the words were
out Of her mouth the baby was thrust
into her arms. and the man had disap-
peared into the chaos Of fiery rain.
He heard babel of voices calling upon
him to come back, but on he went He
burst into the room, and CROPPED about
in the sitting atmosphere until his hand
came in contact with the box, and then
step by step he fought his way back to
the door in the face Of streams Of water
and fire combined.
Somehow, he missed the door and
stumbled against a window, his hands
so blistered that be could not raise il,
and, plunging against the glass like a
drunken man, jumped into the night
covered with blood and smoke It was
a descent Of more than Is feet, and when
he became conscious again he was lying
in a cot at the Southwich hospital, ban
daged Ike a mummy.
He is stirring now" some one called
out in a loud whisper at the bedside.
Under his mummy folds he saw part
OF a man and about two-thirds of the
nurse and smaller sections Of other peo-
pie in the room, but it was like looking
through a glass darkly. There we're two
whole fingers on his right hand, and
Pete's hand and voice reached him at
the same time.
He felt him wave the others aside, as
be bent lower
They caught us both. Jack, he heard
him say. tits a case Of sure evidence, old
man. but they won't sentence you till
you are able to walk. Internal shame,
old fellow. but did the best for you
| could after the firel"
Jack pressed his hand gratefully, even
while he groaned at the news.
"Did-did-the blamed cops get onto
yer. Jack?" was his first question.
1T wasn't the cops, not the cops that
| gave the thing away, Pete. Twas the
woman. the maid. you see. !"
'sThe old leather facet" muttered the
other. under his breath. Don't We sup
nose. Pete. that the-the Judge will"
Then. with a groan he relapsed into
inconsistencies He felt some pun
gent odor at his nostrils He became
dimly aware that the room was filling
again: in the shame and horror Of his
situation. he raised with desperate eff
fort one manned and blackened hand to
draw the covers still more closely around
him.
"see here. Mr.. Williams" he heard
some one saying 10 his pal: you shall
not come in here again, If you are going
to handle the patient this way. What
was il you were whispering TO him
alone just now, you rasoal?
With incredible amazement he heard
Pete's voice explaining that the maid
whom he rescued from the burning house
was going to sue him for breach OF
promise when be recovered, declaring
that he had proposed to her when he
broke open her door.
The doctor stood at his side.
'NIr. Hendricks" he said, put your
well hand out of the bedl"
He did so. trembling.
Mr.. Kinney, you may take the two
fingers you can see. and by that sign
manual | want to introduce you to one
Of the best men in the city. There's not
one man in a thousand, sir, stranger
a handwriting man on his way home
after long days work, that would have
risked his life as this man did for you
and the sake Of your child. And hope
that you will find some way OF making
n right for him when We let him 60"
~ have been wanting a good man for
a gardener for some time, returned the
other. land Mr.. Williams informs me
that this man has had some experience
in this line, and speaks so highly Of him
that | shall be only too glad TO engage
him as soon as he is able TO get out.
The fingers on the spread twitched so