The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1907-05-30

row q rubber or some material and
once she had shown him her studio
where she worked over designs for
wholesale house. She was always
frankly friendly. and he respected the
rights OF ''r H."
But TO keep from loving was quite
another thing. Even before he had
known her he had fallen In love. and
acquaintance had only strengthened the
feeling. More than once he thought
Of moving away out Of temptation, but
before he decided the fateful moment
came.
He was working with his door ajar,
and, CHANGING to look up, he saw a
pun 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. Theirs was a rear
building, built In the yard Of the high
or structure. II 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 he was right In his fear.
She was stupefied by the smoke, and
he had to drag her out.
There was a scuttle to the roof, and
from there an emergency ladder led to
the top of the next building, a climb Of
twenty feet Desperation lent him
strength, and somehow he got 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
forced into her lungs, and as he laid
her upon the roof she opened her eyes.
"what Is the matterT she cried.
IL remember now. l saw the smoke
In my room, and I tainted. You came
for mer'
Sure" he smiled. "It wouldn't be
neighborly to leave you behind, would
|itY"
Behind? ThereT Her glance wan
dered to the pillar of flame that rose
through the ever widening opening,
and she shuddered convulsively.
at was splendldY she cried, with
glowing eyes. "You must have had a
terrible time. How did you do it7"
..To tell the truth" he laughed. 81
don't know. just remember that ]
climbed up. and that's all"
ITar hanIa mana c1o cr,lpU arh nfbor
nervously. and she looked down at the
ring. "Do you know" she began and
then caught herself. with blush.
"What Is itT he asked curiously.
She shook her head. II was thinking
Of an old tradition Of the ring"
ITS too new to have traditions" he
protested.
him. 'That is 1904" she insisted. ut
was my great-grandmother's. Thomas
Hall rescued her from drowning. She
gave It to her eldest daughter when
she was
"RescuedY demanded Vance. He
scented the tradition. How was your
| mother rescuedT
"A runaway" she answered. with
averted head.
"And there is no T. II. In your casef?"
he demanded. "You are not engagedT
NO" she said wonderingly. what
ever gave you that ideaf"
"You blushed 30 when said that the
date was 1904. And to think that all
this time | have said nothing on ac-
count Of T. H.. who was married a
hundred years ago. Do you think that
you could learn lowell. to bow to the
rule Of the ring?"
81 think | could" she said softly.
mo. don't think know. have
liked you for hong time. and it's not
because I am snperstitious that am
saying Yes ;"
II was quarter Of an hour later that
a blue shirted fireman toiling over the
roofs with hose discovered them.
"Are you the people that were In the
top fioori' he demanded.
| 1--WE are" agreed Vance.
| well. please go down and tell the
chief It's all right" he said. They're
getting ready to dig you out"
| 81 should say 1t was all right"
laughed Vance. "T'll tell the chief with
pleasure"