The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-04-29
"No, she said; II am very much oc

umus supporting the gallery to totter.
The lights of the ballroom were blurred.
Hicks-Daisy y-swam before my eyes.
The crisis had arrived. As | staggered
away, | could see no escape. The blow
that | had expected had fallen. | had
gone through what had in vain-at this
la,e stage to go down in defeat. | should
be revealed in all my duphcity The profit
less villainy would be detected by Miss
Hopkins sharp gaze, and what was worse
a thousand times worse, laid bare before
Daisy bright eyes.
| stood in deserted corner, the most
miserable man in Spreadeagle-I felt sure
IN all Woolly County, was convinced, in
the whole of this. broad land of freedom.
drew out my watch felt like a
prisoner in his cell watching for the time
Of his execution. The last hours of the
condemned were nothing to it. Only
these were not hours, but minutes hurry
inc minutes. As | looked at the dial, |
discovered that | had only ten more left.
| A cold sweat gemmed my brows be-
lieve could feel my carefully brushed hair
rise a little in terror If any one should
think this extreme, can only say that
such one has not faced Miss Hopkins in
| her most serious moods, or Daisy on the
rare occasions when she has lost her temper
and apparently has no desire to find 1t
again.
Besides, | was in love with Daisy, and
not only did feel that was condemned,
but as if were signing my own death
/ warrant
Eight minutes How quickly the hands
seemed TO travel Six minutes What
should do? could think of no possible
course to follow. longed to take fight
abjectly run away and abandon the
/ ground. This, however, | knew would be
equally fatal There was nothing for me
to do but to face the musie-a distressing
variation of the Rogue March, with
lugubriousness Of funeral dirge. | must
remain-ior what To attempt the physi-
eally impossible To try to be in different
places AZ The same time could hope fol
success enly by equaling in a measure the
neurological parsonage mentioned by Mrs.
Nalaprop aud being, if not three, then
at least two, gentlemen in one.
| looked at the timepieee in my almost
trembling hand The moments had sped.
Only three more separated me from the
fatefa and fatal period when | must act.
At the eleventh hour-which was the
twelfth in fact was as much at los
as to what was to do as ! ever had been.
/ Notionless, spellbOund helpless, saw
the minute hand race on. Only the small
est white opening was between it and the
black midnight mark That was closing
mp, and soon the point would be over the
first letter Of the Roman mineral.
| started. | heard the deep boom of a
he'll Hastily | assumed that my watch
was slow. t'nawares, Fate had stolen I
march on me. In the twinkhng Of al
: eve | stood alert. The sound which fel
on nv ear was not the familiar note Of tht
town clock. The FIRE bell was ringing
For any amateur fireman of SPreadeagle a
such a call at any time, only one cours'
was TO be considered With the irs
elang of alarm, every one dropped every
thing. Go week day, men left thei
occupation abandoning an uneompleteC
bargain or dropping an unfinished bit o
work instanter. On Sunday, the mem
bers Of the TIRE company at the tintinnahula
summons tore down the aisle and out o
church
For obeying that eall no one eoul'
, blame me. With that excuse Miss Hop
kins, and Daisy herself, could find no fault
A leap seemed to take me to the stairs
With a bound, [ was down them. \
fun speed. made for the engine house
| could see, as | ran, men making frou
, | all directions. la a scramble, was II
nv fireu,an's shirt. Breathless, | presses
down the shining helmet on my head
Heller skelter, in hot haste, | was racini
, with the others with the hose cart.
, Where is it?' gasped.
s'The feed-shop behind Odd Fellows
r Hall. some one shouted.
. In my mad race, had come from tn
fire ouly 10 return to it, As we tore int
/ the square. | saw that in the few minute
in which was gone the eonhagration ha
/ made headway. Smoke was pouring fror
= the windows of the shop beneath the ha
, in which the people had been dancing
E Thin white clouds arose even from tn
lighted windows of the ballroom. In tn
street were huddled the dancers-the girI
: shiyering in their ball dresses. The tn
multi was bewildering. The confusion wa
frsuzied Forcing my way through tn
, terrified throng, | stood in the open spac
, before the building. The flames wer
breaking out. In the glare | could see a
9 distinctly.
|, Where is Daisy Brown heard
girl cry.
| II haven't seen her, another an
swered 'She is left behind.
The smoke was belching out in grea
clouds now, the light of the flames tinge
I ing it with sinister glow. Already
: could feel the heat on my face. d'
not pause to think | did not know wha
could do. felt only that must do some
I thing. made for the entrance-door tn
shouts aud calls of the multitude falling o
nv needless ears. lsprans on. In the hall
: the hot. smoking breath of the furnace bt
yond met me full in the face. lowered IN
head and got my foot on the first step
the stairs. As quickly as | had com
down, sprang up. My head began to swim
[ could see nothing. fought my wa
onward and upward as if against bodli
foe. seemed to be toiling painfully.
;; appeared to have no control of my feet.
lost consciousness.
When | came to, | was in the cool nigl
air of the square. Odd Fellows Hall w
blazing, the flames roaring high in th
, heaven, the sparks dancing away brilliant
, " against the black sky. For an instar
i | watched them with fascinated intensity
. Then remembered lifted myself u
on my elbow gazed about. My startle
. eyes fell on the figure of Daisy Brow
kneeling by my side.
"Oh, she exclaimed, "say som'
thing!''
+ Il came" said, mistily, ''to hav
the pleasure of taking you in to SUI
I per-
. As considered the matter later, | can