The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-05-14

ling, we must be honest. We mus
help each 9ther to be true and morall,
brave"
"0f com Sc" he mused on the wa,
home, ''hef father must have known
from the first what she was doing ant
simply meant to give her lesson BY
allowing Ger to proceed. Poor littl,
girl, she didn't mean any harm, but
am disappointed. didn't think bar ca
pable OF tie slightest deception"
AS he termed the corner leading t.
his boarding house the light streamed
out from Or. Gordon's office, and he
dropped In for moments chat.
II say, Neil, you don't look well
What's the matterY the doctor in.
quired.
"Oh. l tH,lleve / have nerves, and
haven't slept well lately"
You haH better let me give you q
sleeping draft and then take a weeks
rest soon."
The sleeping draft had the desired
effect, and scarcely had Harry's head
touched the pillow when he was wrap
ped in deep sIumber After a time he
was dimly conscious of a hum of
voices In the street below. The room
was hot, and he tossed off some of the
bedclothes. His throat smarted, and
his head ached. There was a strange
roaring in his ears. He struggled to
rouse himself, but 1t was too great an
effort, and he lay dreamily listening to
the voices below.
Il tell you, Evans, Nell is in his
room" came in terrified tones from Dr.
Gordon. Il gave him dope, and the
noise has never wakened him"
1--WE must take rope to him." said
Evans. And Harry wondered vaguely
at the unaccustomed ring In his
friends voice.
"But how" Again 1t was DR.. Cor
don's voice "Tbe front verandas are
all in flames"
Gould We reach him by means Of
the new building? That beam runs
parallel with his ROOM"
1T would be Madness" exclaimed
Mr.. Osborne. "The beam wouldn't hold
your weight. See. 1t has burned
through at the end next the Nelson
louse."
Was 1t all a nightmare, Harry Won
1ered, or was it an awful reality? But
the next words which reached him
cleared the vapors from his brain and
made him spring from his bed with a
bound.
"Tbe beam won't hold you heavy
men, but l can 60. l weigh only nine
ty pounds III take the rope" came
In Jessie's well loved voice.
Neil rushed to the window and hur-
riedly sized up the situation. His room
was in the corner of the third fat,
with two windows-One at the front Of
the house and one at the side. From
the front window he could see the fire.
men at work. The verandas and whole
face of the house were a mass Of fire
and smoke. Water from the hose
played on the blaze, but the cracking
Of the flames came like the laughter Of
i victorious fiend.
He ran to the side window. A new
building was in process Of construc-
ton, but the skeleton structure had al
ready caught fire.
The smoke cleared for an instant.
and the crowd below caught sight of
him. He recognized the white faces Of
Mr. Osborne, George Evans and Dr.
Gordon. Life was sweet. Was there
40 escape? And again he scanned
the new building.
Some one was coming to him-a girl
in a jersey waist and short tweed
skirt, carrying in her hand a coil Of
rope. Her face was upraised for a
moment, and he recognized Jessie Os-
borne. Frail, timid, little Jessie amid
the fire and smoke! She must not
come farther, and, placing his hand on
the window ledge, he prepared to de-
scend
"Stop, you foolv' came from below.
"Neil, for any sake, don't put your
foot on that beam or 1t is death for
you bothw shouted Evans.
Convinced that Evans was right, he
paused and watched the girl below
Light and agile as a kitten, she climb