Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-03-11
CHAPTER xxx.


hi,nseif i-p.eIled fo-EE-1
al Iess- / vii BOt e1-sr Eos1 ! -e2ea
there. Lex me look upya ths Cd nil onee
szzin. and perhzpg this us5 fancy O
rrr uzrr VII b sztisszi- What u ls
know not. bit / cannot resist Il
he fuisaai lis words Win s-z---e1
err. for his eyes had s1dde1ly e2ug-t 4
gov Of Ezat through the forest trees
1t csungt b the moon rising. for "
less have lost NJ bearings, Al head
iug toward the wss-- II Is ths olt III
On fire, What II she should Be- lost.
He started O 2 TiI5 IN, Laying OTe-
hol-s snd logs a. though they we're 2-1.-'st
nothing. and rapidly nearing t1= b-1zl-l-
raiI. which with every passing Minute
Seemed 70 become more AID -o-e t1= NC
TIN Ot the flames.
Nov h seemed % understand tAe SUB
tie power tazt had drawn hin o. z11
in h;s hesr1 he PRAYED. o.. - earnestly,
that he might Jet b Il tine 70 save his
darling
Al thoughts Of bitterness toward ber
had been swept from lis hear Is II By
,-z-:-- u - t1s 1-o,ss y - -----
cence. but his words about throwing her
love from him were forgotten
On be dashed II seemed as though
be 1vJuld never get there. and the Cd mil
was uow q perfect pyramid Of fznas.
roaring and leAping upward IS though N
fendish glee over the destruction q the
haunted building.
The woods were now lighted Up. and Re
could So lis way better. - that hs na1e
better time. but his heart was full Of =
terrible fear lest he should arrive too
late.
Finally. Ike . mad dear. he sp-ang
from among the trees and rushed into
the open space. 4 terrible scene, ful Of
awful grandeur, was before hin. but he
heeded not it, sublime Epiend0r. The
one thought before Ids mind was the
narrowing uncertainty in regard 10 Carol.
Was she safe: What IL she were in that
abyss Of fame:
Almost mad az the bare thought, Re
rushed franticzlly forward. 4 scream
reached his ear-the scream Of z woman
and for the first time he noticed q te-
male figure close 20 the burning mill The
glare and smoke kept him from -ecOg-
uizinz her. and. with his heart lezping for
Joy. he bounded toward the WOMAN who
was Eringing her hands wildly. Whsn
lie reached her SIDE he saw that il was
Mrs. Richmond. not Carol.
Several other forms had darted from
the woods. and were hurrying toward the
spot where the lady stood. The leadin.
one he recognized as Lawrence Rich
mOnd. but beyond that he did not spare
the time 70 look.
-Car0l-Ehere IS sheZ- he cried.
There was not Z second 70 lose. The
poor lady could not speak. but. raisin.
her hand, she pointed 20 the blazing build.
ing. II was enough.
Heaven help me.' fell from his ghu;
teeth.
Then, bracing himself ike q giant pre-
paring FOR a mighty battle. he rushed for.
ward. hurling himself through the bar
rier OF fierce flames that crossed IN iii
angry tongues before the doorway.
He found the stairs more from instin ?,
than sight, as the place was full 0.
smoke. Up he went with great leaps. Al
the top he could see nothing. but, gropiug
his way along. be cried aloud:
Carol. o., Carol, my darling. where
are your
Oh. the bitterness in his voice. i
spoke 0f heart-breakins. racking pain. but
there came no answer save the roarin.
and cracking OF the flames as they feC
upon the dry timbers Of the old mill.
lie =rOped his way along a passage un
I'll he came 10 a door. Il refused to INV,
way at his touch, and. rendered desperat,
by tie situation. he raised his foot enc
sent il down with a crash.
Entering. he found the interior full o.
smoke and yet II was more bearable thai
ou, 10 the hall. because Of the closed door
= slender figure arJse and staggered %
ward him. With 3 cry be held out hi
arms for her.
Carol my love. my life. thank heavei
you are aliye." be cried. as he folded he
IL his arms snd crushed her 10 his heart
"iou-forgiye me-Roger-I loved yor
! believe in you now.' the poor gir
easped.
Hush. darling. heaven will forgive u
both. | have forgotten alI-everythini
but that ! love you better than the Who'll
world. As proof of il. witness me her
TO save or die with you"
lie had shut the door in order 10 kee
out the dense volume OF smoke until l.
was ready fos the FINAL plunge. and. afte
hastily wrapping several blankets abou
the precious form of the girl, who wa
clad only in a loose wrapper Of her moth
cr's that she had thrown about her whe,
first awakened by the dense smoke. b
opened the door.
The hall and stairway were still full o
smoke. but he would no longer have 4
sropc his way along either. for the rudd
flames. dancing and forking out their dia
bolical red tongues. as though in fsndisl
e.ee lighted mp both.
How was be ever going 10 run III
gauntlet with that precious burden in hi
armsi Was it possible TO escape by IN
window One glance In that direction
tod him that such a thing could hardly b
accomplished in fact, that IL was impossi