The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-07-18

."
was worse, too, as he crept down |
the stairs. At the landing below he
stopped. There was weight on his
chest, and his heart was humping
In his ears. And then at that no
ment he remembered Baby Michigan.
James William was only boy, but
he had flre-fighting blood in him. He
was breathing hard now, and he re-
membered suddenly that he had no
| crutch--that II the Madigan baby
was still In the dormitory he could
not carry her out. But even as he
remembered he was crawling on his
blistered knees toward the infant
night nursery.
| The air was little better in there,
and from the far end James William
could hear a choking. gasping cry.
He could hop now, holding to the
beds. Through the smoke he saw
the Madigan baby sitting up and
blinking. II the Virgins boy had
been told OF to take her he had met
James Williams expectationsl James
William hoped over and picked her
up.
Hello, kid" he said, steadyine
himself against the bed; "fergot you,
didn't they?"
Through the open door into the
corridor came a rush OF smoke that
burst into red tips of fire. James
William set the baby down, and
picking up a water pitcher, smashed
the glass in the window near by. A
little air came in, but It seemed
only to feed the fire, licking around
the door now. The baby was gasp
ing and the boy put her on the floor.
Then he stuck his head out through
the broken pane. Everything below
was dark; the fire seemed all up
stairs. And then Just inside the win
dow he saw the gaping mouth of the
clothes chute. Behind. the baby
was whimpering dismally. The room
was ablaze now at the far end;
some of the beds were burning, and
famed by the air from the window,
/, sparks began to drop scorching on
the boys half-clad figure.
James William looked around
desperately He called out the win
dow, but his thin little voice was
!, lost in the roar. The clothes chute
: yawned beside him; gradually he
! felt its possibilities.
= II could drop some bed clothes
> down." he thought, land it wouldn't
: De much of fall" The baby
!. crawled over and pulled at his little
: white nightshirt. "But there's the
= kid; If l go first there'll be no one
= to drop it, and II drop 1t, and then
= go down, I'll be like to kill it, fallin
" on it,
:, And then heredity began to tell
" James William hoped over and
gathered a great armful of bee
- clothes, stufiing them down the
?, chute. Then he gathered another
y armful, and wrapped the baby loose
~ ly in them, her head out. The babI
- :, yelled vociferously as he gave thu
;. bundle a push, and 1t sank slowl.
:, from view down the chute. Jame
= william drew a long breath, thel
"a pulling himself by his hands, he go
- out on the window sill, and sat there
- Outside on the street the engin
- was pumping now, and below hin
% in the side yard the boy thought h
~ could make out the Virgins bo
~ dancing around and shrieking tina
:. there was somebody upon that win
- dow sill. The fire behind him wa
very close now. He was terribl
~ frightened. His heart didn't seer
to beat at all, and his hands wer
~ numb. Things began to look queer
80 too. Then everything seemed t
a,. come to an end.
~ When James William came to him
80 80 self he was lying on the brick pave
- ment Just inside the iron fence wit
/, somebody's arm under his head.
- did you get the Acdigan baby?
~ he asked weakly.
~ From somewhere--it seemed ia
y. off-he heard Miss Adams answer
~ mo, James William" she said chol
10 lily, I'm afraid we'll never get tn
,a Madigan baby"
~. Then James William sat up. 'Yo
80 didn't?" he asked. why l droppe
~. her down the clothes chute"
~ " Some of the people vanished int
~ the darkness; James William close
- his eyes
Perhaps he went to sleep
ho seemed ike dream, auynoW, II
,i,. big strong arms were holding hi
s ,ns close, and near by Miss Adams WI
~ calling some one to bring blank
'ho for the Madigan baby. James WI
~ -. liam opened his eyes and looked u
- Above him was a smoke-streak'
~ face surmounted by a helmet. II
.n face was familiar; the voice was cd
~ ~ though thick. and-of course it W
- ridiculous-almost fearful.
w w. Bully for you, little Jim"
''' was his father, sure enough! "Go'
,u loyl I'm proud OF you. sure!" Thu
"a to Miss Adams, "Can you find sor
'ra clothes for the youngster? l reck'
"a I'll keep him with me after this. =
,ad Womans Home Companion.
hat