The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1907-03-22

and Vance noticed that it was q per
feet fit.
He breathed silent vengeance o.
ST. H." as he held the door open TO
her, but took satisfaction in thu
thought that lie at least knew he
name.
After that when they met on TIN
stairs they exchanged greetings, ant
several times she had to run in to Dor
row a rubber or some material, an(
once she had shown him her studio
where she worked over designs for s
wholesale house. She was Away,
frankly friendly and he respected tht
ights of "T. H.'
"But to keep from loving was quite
another thing. Even before he haC
known her be had fallen in love, anG
acquaintance had only strengthened
the feeling. More tEan once he
thought of moving away out of temp
tation, but before he decided the fate
full moment came.
He was working with his door ajar
and, CHANGING to look up. he saw q
puff of black smoke blow in. He
sprang to his feet and rushed into the
hall. The stairway was cracking mer-
rily and two floors below the flames
had full possession. There was rear
building built in the yard of the high
&c structure. l. would be hard fire
to fight, and all chance of escape by
stairway or fire escape was hopeless.
He ran to Agnes door and burst in
when there was no answer to his
knocking. He knew that she was in
for he had seen her pass. One glance
showed that be was correct in his tear.
She was stupefed by the smoke, and
he had to drag her out.
There was scuttle to the roof, and
from there an emergency ladder led
to the top of the next building, a
climb of 20 feet. Desperation lent
him strength, and somehow he get her
through the scuttle and was just lift
ing her over the edge Of the adjoining
roof, when the flames burst through
the roof he had just quit.
In the jostling she had received the
smoke had been forced out and the air
into her lungs, and as he laid her
upon the roof she opened her eyes.
"What is the matter?' she cried
"I-I remember now. l saw the
smoke in my room and | tainted. You
came for me?"
"Sure," he smiled. at wouldn't be
neig hborly to leave you behind, would
it?"
"Behind There?" Her glance
wandered to the pillow of flame that
rose through the ever widening open.
ing and she shuddered convulsively.
SIT was splendid," she cried, with
glowing eyes. "You must have had
a terrible time. How did you do i,?"
"To tell the TRUTH" he laughed, 81
don't know. Ijust remember that l
climbed up, and that's all"
Her hands were clasping each other
nervously, and she looked down at
the ring. "Do you know" she began
and then caught herself with a blush
"What is it?" he asked curiously.
She shook her head.
II was thinking of an old tradition
of the ring"
"It's too new to have traditions" l..
protested.
She took it off and held it toward
him. ''That is 1904" she insisted.
ut was my great-grandmother's.
Thomas Hall rescued her from drown
ing. She gave it to her eldest daugh-
ter when she was'-
"Rescued?" demanded Vance. He
scented the tradition. How was
your mother rescued?"
"a runaway" she answered, with
averted head.
"And there is no Z. II. in your
case." he demanded. "You are not
engaged"
"No," she said wonderingly. "Wbat
ever gave you that idea?'
"You blushed so when | said that
the date was 1904. And to think that
all this time | have said nothing on
account of II. H.-who was married
100 years ago. Do you think that
yon could learn to-well, to bow to
the rule OF the ring?'
Il think l could" she said, softly.
"No, I don't think. know. | have
liked you for a long time, and it's not
because am superstitious that | am
aging yes"
1t was a quarter of an hour later
that blueshirted fireman toIing over