The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1906-02-22

~ lot savage Hun nor ''barba-
IN rous Vandyke" nor demon
(iG0$SS4l Apache could wish to dwell
e2zeea9 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 warming
gesture to those below, he dropped it
to the ground, and, out of compassion.
it should be little more than limited 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
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
MS he leaped out of the door and danced
upon the solid earth again.
Then, indeed, there was a mighty I'D
roar. Cheer after cheer assembled to the
red vault Of heaven. Women went.
men whooped and the people rushed
for the heroes with wide open, welcom-
ing arms. Jefferson Bareaud and
Frank Chencweth 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 doorv'
lie brushed the rejoicing friends off
abruptly, and went on in a queer, hol-
low voice: There are stairs-and I'm
SO sorry didn't think of it until a mo-
ment ago, because you could have
brought the water up that wayy'
A remarkable case of desertion had
occurred the previous instant under his
eyes. AS the party emerged from the
warehouse into the street Tom heard
Crailey say hurriedly to Miss Carewe:
Let me geJ you away-cOme quicl.ly!'
~ -" AAAAAA SuNUSAAJ SO1AC uCl LULU anu,
eluding 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 S Temperament" heaven knows,
the prophetic soul of the chief was I'M
happily assured that Crailey would Of
fer himself as escort to her home and
find acceptance. But why not? Was it
Crailey who had publicly called his fell
low man fool, idiot, imbecile, at the
top of his lungs only to find himself
the proven numskull Of the universe!
Tom stood for 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 Graf
ley's, yet still followed him as he made
quick detour round the next building.
a minute OF two later they found
themselves, undetected, upon Main
street in the rear of the crowd There
Crailey paused.
"Forgive me-" he said breathlessly,
''for taking your hand. I thought you
would like to get away"
She regarded him gravely, so that he
found it difficult to read her look, ex-
cept that it was seriously questioning,
but whether the Interrogation was adj
dressed to him or to herself he could
not determine. After a silence she
EAid:
~ don't know why I followed you.
1 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. cts all
over" he said briskly. "The first ware
house is gone, the second will go, but
they'll save the others easily enough
now that you have pointed out that
the lines may be utilized otherwise
than as 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
upO1 1111ll Ut OuCC, anu LIS uIcl " t1O
stopped short evil you not accept
me as an escort to your homer he said
formally.
II 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
constituent.
She continued to gaze upon him
thoughtfully, while he tried to look into
her eyes, but was baftled because the
radiant beams from the lady's orbs, as
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 i'll looking, it was nevertheless
that feature which he most distrusted.
won't you tell me why not?" he re-
peated uneasily. ...
ho o. ocf