The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-09
TIE REscUEi
BY BELLE MANIATEs. 1qOE Rv Daily Story

| Porossed in making out a list for hei house party. She smiled slightly a' she scanned the names of her guests
 "Tye got thenzkall paired off likt the animals In Noah's Ark, sne thought. ss she held her pencil poised over her brother Philips name 'Srhere is no one good enough for hlm He is worthy of an ideal, and am afraid I know none.'
 At this moment her brother entered
 Making out your list of guests lcven? I wish you'd ask friend oi mine"
 "As if your friends didn't always lo.rte blanche at Woodneath! Whc is your friend?'
 IA young girl-one you have never mel. Gwen, but one love-"
 "oh, Phillip! And you have never told mel" lis Lenore Bradner. l met her "hen II was in London three years ago.
 "An English girl! Whom Is she Vls- iting here?" l. | Philip looked his siseeT seua- eA' III
 "When I met her. Gwen, she was tight rope walker in circus | "Oh--'
 cwendolen's gasp was eloquent.
 "she was above her station in every way. Young, lovely, refined ana Vir- tuous. learned to love her; removed lher from the circus and placed her In . fssbionabIe New York school. where bar mast life is not known. She has inst been graduated, and we are to he married this fall. I hope for my sake you will be nice to her ana over come your aristocratic scruples. l GwendoIen's wits moved 'quickly. She loved her brother dearly, put sne did not want him to make a messaln- lance. Argument and opposition would he of no avail. She would invite the eirl as he wished her to. and amid the brilliant refined throng assempiea at woodneath, the circus performer would appear at such a disadvantage his eyes would be opened.
 | "Of course, Phillip, I'll be glad to ask her. I will call on her at once. Where is she?' | "she is at the school, still. as a pri- vate boarder. now that the session IS ended" he said. his face wearing relieved expression at his sisters tax | ing the news so nicely.
 | Gwen went to the school that after noon. filled with curiosity to behold her brothers protege. She pictured to herself his choice as girl of coarse dark, wild beauty, SO when a slender young girl of exquisite face and form entered the little reception room, Gwendolen had to admit that out wardly there was nothing to condone in her future sister-in-law. very little conversation was necessary to show her that Lepore was refined of speech and manner and would shine at woodneath or anywhere else. l "My brother has told me of his engagement to you" Louise raised beautiful eyes in appealing. pathetic l glance.
 T am afraid that you-his friends will think
 Never mind what they think" said Gwendolen kindly. So Lenore went to the house party and was entirely happy except when she remembered that her past might reflect upon Philip.
 | To meet the exigency of unexpected guests one night, Philip gave up his suite of apartments and sought room on the third floor of the gardners house. As he sat in the window with his feet against the casing. he fell Into a profound sleep. Suddenly, he half awoke He had dreamed that he was uncomfortably warm. and he made a motion to throw off the cov- ers The motion aroused him to the extent of realizing that he had not gone to bed. He wondered dimly where he was. Had he gone to sleep in the sailboat? He had done that more than once, and there was time when he had awakaned in a fog. as he had now; but this fog filled his lungs and choked him. He started to his feet. This cracking. snapping sound | meant fire!
 | Thoroughly awakened, he sprang to 1 the door of his room. Great volumes of smoke poured in, an dhot flames darted up the stairs. He closed the door and went back to the window. In crossing the room he had planned to make rope of the bedclohthes. He saw now that this was impossible. as flames were shooting far out from the second story beneath him. His room began to be intolerably hot. l Carefully closing the window behind him. he stepped out on the narrow stone ledge. It was a dark night. A mist hung over the place. deepening the dull, red line of fire creeping out from the story beneath him. On the left he could see the house looking heavily down upon him from tower ing mass of gables. on the right and near the gardner's house were the stables.
 Suddenly there arose upon the night air the sound of an alarmed. con- fused babble of voices, 8 wild running of feet, calls for water and ladders from a helpless. disorganized band of guests, servants and villagers.
 Quietly and calmly he awaited their discovery of his plight. The line of dull red was now changing to ruddy glow. He recognized the people be- How. Then some one caught sight of him, and there was more alarmed shouting. Ladders were brought, but were of no avail. Nor was water ade- quate to cope with this mad sweep of voracious flames that leaped up- ward and outward. throwing down a sparkling shower of fire.
 The fire extinguisher was brought. and when the stream was turned on the blazing beams, sound like that of escaping steam was added to the roar of the flames.
 Looking down into the red gulf that yawned beneath him, he realized that he could expect no rescue from below. and he now studied the situation from his point of view instead of from theirs.
 The ledge on which he stood was but a few feet in length. He could -1-N-A