The Red Cloud chief., 1906-03-09

When the stream at last leaped forth,
making the nozzle fight in his grasp, no
sent It straight UP into the air and
let the cataract fall back upon himself
and upon the two men beneath him on
the ladder.
There came q moment of blessed re.
lief, and he looked out over the broad
rosy blur Of faces In the street, where
no one wondered more than he how the
water was to reach the roof. Suddenly
he started, wiped his eyes with his wet
sleeve and peered intently down from
under the shading arm. His rowing
glance crossed the smoke and flame to
rest upon a tall, white figure that stood
full length above the heads Of the peo-
pie upon a pedestal wrought with the
grotesque Images Of boys; a girls fig
ure. still as noon, enrapt, like the statue
Of some young goddess for whom were
made these sacrifcial pyres. Mr.. Gray
recognized his opportunity.
A blackened and unacceptable face
peered down from the caves, and the
voice belonging to 1t said angrily:
why didn't they send up that line
before they put the water through it?"
"Never mind, Tom," answered Graf
ley c%heerfully, "Ill bring 1t up"
You can't. I'll come down for 1t.
Don't be every kind of a fool!'
you want a monopoly, do your"
And Crailey, calling to Tappingham
Mo rob naxt hnlnyu hin, IN nntnn hiUh-
er, left the writhing nozzle In the lat
ter's possession, swung himself out up
on the graphing ladder, initiating the
chiefs gymnastics, and Immediately,
n hand grasping the second rung, one
knee crooked over the lowest, leaned
head down and took the nozzle from
Marsh. 1t was q heavy weight, and,
though Marsh supported the line be-
meath 1t, the great stream HURTING
forth made 1t a difficult thing TO man.
age, for it wriggled, recoiled and strug-
gled rs If 1t had been alive. Cralley
made three attempts to draw himself
up, but the strain was too much for his
grip, and on the third attempt his fin
gers melted from the rung, and he
swung down fearfully, hanging by his
knee, but still clinglng to the nozzle.
GIVE 1t up, Crailey. 1t isn't worth
It," Vanrevel called from overhead, not
daring the weight of both on the light
graphing ladder.
But though Crailey cared no more for
the saving of Robert Carewe's property
than for a butterfly's wing IN China. he
could not give up now, any more than
as a lad he could have forborne to turn
somersaults when the prettiest little
girl looked out of the schoolhouse win
dow. He passed the nozzle to Tapping
ham, caught the second rung with his
left hand, and, once more dangling
head downward, seized the nozzle;
then, with his knee hooked tight, as the
gushing water described a huge semi
circle upon the smoke and hot vapor,
he made a mad lurch through he air,
while women shrleked, but he landed
upright, half sitting or the lowest rung.
He climbed the graphing ladder swift
ly, In spite of the weight and contor-
tions of the u~nmanageable beast he car
ried with him. Tom leaned far down
and took 1t from him, and Crailey, pass
ing the caves, fell exhausted upon the
roof. Just as he reached this tempo
rary security a lady vas borne, faint
ing, out Of the acclalming crowd. Fan
chon was there.
Word had been passed to the gentle
men Of the engine company to shut of
the water in order to allow the line to