News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1906-12-05


Bhrieklng engine reached the crowd OF
desperate men on the square. Then
presently they heard the rattle and
clash of the fire engines as they were
dragged through the street and were
aware that the relief train had arrived,
but it was not until the doctor came in
some time long after midnight that
they knew who had been the savior of
the town.
cts all over, dear. The fire is under
CONTROL" he said cheerfully, address,
ing his wife. II guess we can go to
bed now and feel pretty sure we won't
be burned ont before morning"
Constance put down the book she had
been trying to read and rose tiredly
and stinly from her chair beside the
table.
"Then the train did come after alp"
she said.
Eyes, but not Il moment too soon. |
tell you we can't be grateful enough.
I've been with Oakley and his father.
That's what kept me-" he explained.
Oakley" Constance cried in amaze
Eyes. Didn't you know that it was
Oakley and his father who brought the
relief train? The old man is dead. He
was Killed Oh the way. It's miracle
that either of them got through alive.
Hadn't you heard|
Constance put ont her hands bIindly.
for sudden mist had come before her
eyes.
Father, you don't mean that Mr.
Oakley has returned to Antioch-that
he is here now"
Eyes, it seems no one else would
come. Oakley was in Chicago when he
first heard Of the fire ana started i'm
mediately for Buchhorn, where he
found the relief train. Oddly enough
he found his father there too
"Then there was something to the
old man after ALL" said Mrs Emory,
whose sympathies were as generous as
they. were easily aroused.
"a good deal, | should say He must
have known that he was coming back
to arrest and almost certain convic-
ton
theirs face. She wanted to hear more
of Oakley. Her heart was hungering
for news of this man who had risked
his life to save them. All her lingering
tenderness the unwilling growth OF
many days, was sweeping away the
barriers Of her pride. Mr. Oakley was
not hurt?" she questioned breathlessly.
pale to the lips.
He is pretty badly shaken up. and
no wonder. but he will be all right in
the morning"
"Wherc is he now?" she asked
Her father turned to her.
Oakley You look tired out. Con
stance. Do go to bed. I'll tell you all
about it in the morning"
"Where is he now. papa?' she ques-
toned going to his side and clasping
her hands about his arm.
"Down at the shop. They carried his
father there from the train"
why didn't you have them bring
him here?' said Mrs. Emory quickly.
"After this l won't listen to a word
against either of them. l would like to
show the town just how we feel in the
matter"
Il suggested it, but Oakley wouldn't
hear to it. But don't worry about the
town. It's gone wild. You should have
seen the crowd Oh the platform when
it saw Oakley in the engine cab. 1t
went stark mad"
Again Constances eyes swan with
Fears The strike the murder of Ry-
der, the fire, had each seemed in turn
a part of the tragedy of her life at An
toch, but Oakley's return was wholly
glorious.
Her father added, Il shall see Oak
ley in the morning and learn if we can
be of any service to him"
A little later when Constance went |
to her own room. she drew forward
chair and seated herself by the win
dow. Across the town, on the edge of |
the flats" she saw dimly the long, |
dark outline of the railroad shop, with |
its single tall chimney. She thought |
of Oakley as alone there keeping watch |
at the side of the grim old murderer |
who had 50 splendidly redeemed him |
self by this last sacrifice
Great clouds of black smoke were |
still rolling over the town, and the |
woods were still blazing fiercely in the |
distance. Beyond her window she |
heard the call of frightened birds as |
they fiuttered to and fro in the dull |
red light, and farther off, in the north |
end, the muffled throbbing of the fire |
engines.
If she had had any doubts as to her |
feeling for Oakley these doubts were |
now a thing of the past. She knew |
that she loved him. She had been pet |
ty and vain. She had put the small |
things of life against the great, and |
this was her punishment She tried to |
comfort herself with the thought that |
she should see him in the morning |
Then she could tell him all. But what |
could she tell him? The time had gone |
by when she could tell him anything
1t was almost morning when she I'M
dressed and threw herself down on her |
bed She was disconsolate and miser- !
able, and the future seemed quite bar
rem of hope or happiness. Love had |
come to her and she had NOT known