Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-03-13

- Apache could wish to dwell
upon the state Of mind of the
chief Of the Rouen volunteer fire de-
partment; therefore let the curtain Of
mercy descend. Without word he
turned and dragged the nozzle to the
eastern caves, whence. after warning
gesture to those below, he dropped it
to the ground, and, out Of compassion,
1t should be little more than hinted that
the gesture Of warning was very slight.
When the rescued band reached the
foot of the last flight of stairs they be-
held the open doorway as frame for
a great press of intent and contorted
faces, every eye still strained to watch
the roof, none Of the narrowed specta-
tors comprehending the appearance Of
the girls figure there, nor able to see
whittier she had led the five young men,
until Tappingham Marsh raised shout
as he leaped out Of the door and danced
upon the solid earth again.
Then. indeed. there was mighty up
roar. Cheer after cheer ascended to the
red vault Of heaven. Women wept,
men whooped and the people rushed
for the heroes with wide open, welcom-
ing arms. Jefferson Bareaud and
Frank Chenoweth and General Trum-
bic dashed at Tom vanrevel with inco-
herent cries of thanksgiving, shaking
his hands and beating him Historically
upon the back. He greeted them with
bitter laughter.
"Help get the water into the next
warehouse. This one is beyond con-
troll, but we can save the other two.
Take the lines in-through the door"
He brushed the rejoicing friends of
abruptly, and went on in queer, hol-
low voice: There are stairs-and I'm
80 sorry l didn't think Of 1t until mo-
ment ago. because you could have
brought the water up that way!
A remarkable case of desertion had
occurred the previous instant under bis
eyes. AS the party emerged from the
warehouse into the street Tom heard
Crailey say hurriedly to Miss Carewe:
Let Ire get you away-come quickly"
saw him suddenly seize her hand and,
aluding the onrushing crowd, run with
her round the corner of the building.
And somehow, through what inspira-
ton or through what knowledge Of his
partner Temperament" heaven knows.
the prophetic soul Of the chief was un-
happily assured that Crailey would Of
fer himself as escort to her home aud
find acceptance. But why not? Was 1t
Crailey who had publicly called his fel-
low man fool, idiot, imbecile, ut the
top of his lungs only to find himself
the proven numskull Of the universe.
Tom stood for u moment staring after
the vanishing pair. while over his face
stole the strangest expression that ever
man saw there; then. with meekly
bowed shoulders, he turned again to
his work.
At the corner of the warehouse Miss
Carewe detached her hand from Crai-
ley's, yet still followed him as he made
quick detour round the next building.
A minute or two later they found
themselves, undetected, upon Main
street In the rear of the crowd. There
Crailey paused.
"Forgiye me-" he said breathlcssly,
"for taking your hand. thought you
would like to get away
She regarded him gravely, so that he
found 1t difficult to read her look, ex'
cept that it was seriously Questioning,
but whether the Interrogation was ad-
dressed to him or to herself he could
not determine. After a silence she
said:
81 don't know why l followed you.
I believe It must have been because
YOU didn't give me time to think
This, Of course, made him even Quick
er with her than before. Its all
over" he said briskly. "The first ware
house is gone, the second will SO, but
they'll save the others easily enough
now that you have pointed out that
the lines may be utilized otherwise
than us. adjuncts Of performances On
the high trapeze." They were stand
ing by picket fence, and he leaned
against it, overcome by mirth in which
she did not join. Her gravity reacted
upon him at once, and his laughter was
stopped short. "Will you not accept
me as an escort to your homer he said
formally.
81 do not know" she returned sim
ply. the sort Of honest trouble In her
glance that is seen only in very young
eyes.
"What reason in the wOrld!" he re.
turned, with a crafty sharpness OF as
tonlshment.
She continued to gaze upon MIN
thoughtfully, while he tried to look into
her ewes. but was batiIed because the
radiant beams from the lady's orbs. US
the elder Chenoweth might have said,
rested somewhere dangerously near his
chin, which worried him, for. though
his chin made no retreat and was far
from III looking, 1t was nevertheless
that feature which he most distrusted.
"Won't you tell me why not?' he re-
peated uneasily.
Because" she answered ut last,
speaking hesitutingly-"because 1t isn't
80 easy matter for me as you seem to
think. You have not been introduced
to me, and know you never Will be,
and that what you told me was true"
(which part Of what l told YOU"
The question escaped from him In
i stanter.