The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-14
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Much 10 my surprise, Miss skeed instead
Of opening the front door led the way up
the stairs. Then a we mounted fight after
hight I recollected that while the Ledf Office
was still quite a distance on by the route
/ had o pursuing It was on the other
side Of a long irregular squar and might
be quickly reached by a cut across.
So Il proved, for when we had emerged
through the scuttle with a twist Of her shawl
over her head against the storm she ad-
vanced intrepidly and rapidly over the
Intervening roofs.
With the darkness the rain and the gale
bad increased: but there was a note in the
scurFying roar which belonged to neither
N nor the other. It was ~indisputably
human despite its ferocity. 1t was the
voice Of a,mob.
That voice grew more significant when
we had forced our way into the attic Of
the Leaf building. It was fainter, it was
intermittent, but when it ceased the very
stiffness added force to it.
Where wore the whir Of the presses and
the clash and clang OF machinery? Work
had ceased; the upper stories were deserted;
the entire force had hurried TO the struggle
ON the ground floor.
There was something else, evasive yet
menacing, which affected us both as we
stood undoubtedly In Remsen's bestrewn
and d~isorderly sanctum; a heaviness, a
sufocating quality in the air. a warmth
that pressed and flashed.
There L. smoke, there is fire below
smiled the spinster.
/ few to the stair rail; l looked down to
the second story below, where the press
were set. Smoke was curling through the
c~rsvioes Of the hacked and grimy door,
and even as 1 looked again a tongue OF
flame shot through a crack like a demons
grin.
Il know; you needn't tell me-, said Miss
Skeed a. I rushed back. wait; 1 must
think
But some inhammable stuff has been
tipped over In the turmoil l urged. The
whole story 10 In a light fame
But she stood poised, her head on one
side, listening, interpreting.
"Merton's men have driven your people
out she reflected. "Hushl Can't you
near their cries Of vengeance against Saw
age; their shouts Of laughter as IL they
had him In some evil case2
THAT was no accident; Mollie Adsit can
dream and revenge even IL she can't
read. Some one OF them slipped upstairs
and Hred the building. Some Others AVE
barred the door Of Adsit's room; its win
dows are already barricaded.
"None Of his friends may know Of his
being there; he u secretive. My God.
don't you seei'
There is a winding iron stairway Lead
ing up here from that Office" 1 recalled.
-Adsit used it for unexpected visits
Yes; but the Senator would be sus-
picous at first and fearful after he de-
tocted the fire. An, 1 have itl He thought
to meet Geraldine here. Well, he shall
hear her voice, though be never shall see
her face
Miss Skeed sprang to the speaking tube
leading down from Remsen's desk, and in
an admirable imitation Of her niece's tones
and accents she called:
.Senstor-Mr. Savage-T am waiting for
you here, alone, In the editors room on
the upper story Come to me; l am in
danger; come, before it il too latel'
/ could hear the unintelligible mumur
Of q response. but l did not need to AJAX its
meaning. The spinster threw down the
tube with q grimace OF disgust.
Ugh, the old fooli' she snapped, he'll
DO here directly. His vanity. like his con-
science. Is ~fireproof. Lead him over the
roofs; there will be plenty Of scuttles open.
Good-by and good radiance to you both"
And she whisked out into the hall and
up the ladder like a fairy godmother on a
broomstick.
Senator Savage needed his salamander
outfit when a moment later he dashed
up the little iron stairs. There was no time
for explanation the roar Of the flames below
seeking vent was like the beat Of the sea.
where is she?" he painted. Il won't
20 without her; neverl"
Iyelled that she had preceded US to safety.
l dragged him up n out, until we stood
safe on an adjacent roof and looked back.
The Leaf building was a tower Of fire,
enwrapped in fame. a tosal, an irrsmsdiable
loss. Gone, too, vas it's ruling political
influence throughout Sequola, on the v
Of the primaries and with election day
a sCant month away.