Mexico Missouri message., 1908-06-18

upon him. That was why he had Joined
the department-to cut and hack and
smite, and do II with all the sanction
OF law. Thus would he vent some of
his grudge against the world-the
world which had been treRcherous to
him. and then hedEed him in with con.
ventions which made redress impos-
sible. The phantom figure Of a wom-
an stood out, as so often II did In his
lnfiamed mind from the smoke and
the steam: OF woman who had
wronged him grievously. And there
was another-the policeman.
He took a step nearer.
'You-save her." he Kissed. and the
sound of his voice sounded strange
even 10 himself. save her. and get
the glory. That's your graft. Come.
I'll help ye." And he caught the pc.
liceman by the arm.
There was that about the fireman
which frightened the man. With his
recovered strength he resisted the
movement toward the window. But
the strength OF ten men seemed Knee.
lands.
AS the two forms staggered into the
indistinct light from the street, FIRE.
men outside were raising a ladder to
an upper floor. Slowly II warped up
ward then rested on ledge OF an OPP
posite side. and a man carrying a
hose in his hand ran quickly up.
Across the area.way the forms OF
two men met his view. One. in police.
mans uniform. seemed struggling
back from the window; the other,
fireman. urged him forward They
locked in an embrace, and the fire
man threw the other across the sill.
A stream of water, hard as rubber.
smote Kneeland full in the chest and
rolled him against the wall The
fireman on the ladder had turned his
hose on the strugglers.
Choking and battered by the deluge
which threshed in upon them. Knee
land caught at the sill In the mo-
ment he had been at the window the
feet and skirts OF a woman hanging
from the ledge above had met his Wis
ion. The instincts OF the fire.hghter
were once more supreme.
The woman" he called. painting.
TO the policeman. Quick. help mel"
The stream OF water had ceased to
pour through the window. The fire.
man on the ladder also had seen the
woman and had turned his hose into
the room, from the ledge OF which
the woman chung desperately by her
hands to escape the suffocation OF
smoke and flames.
Kneeland thrust a leg out OF the
window
Hold this one" he shouted to the
policeman, kicking the other against
the floor to help the words. Now,
yer arm around my waist steady
AS the policeman took hold OF him
he felt the fireman suddenly relax
in his grasp. lie saw Kneeland look
up at the woman with staring eyes.
mouth opened. He heard him mutter
a name; then seem to sink away from
him. as though he would slide back
into the shelter OF the window.
Suddenly the fireman became rigid
once more as steel bar The opened
ping teeth. In a voice low and hoarse.
but steady. he gave the directions.
Let CO." he called TO the figure
overhead. IN catch yer"
The policeman felt the body ne held
sway outward with the sudden impact.
His muscles strained, as they gripped
at the waist which bent over till Il
ha A,,s .l,
cles OF the fireman seemed of iron.
For few terrible seconds the forms
hung over the area. and In the grim
strain of the bodies. eyes grew blood.
shot and the faces distorted with
swollen veins. Then. slowly the fire.
man and his charge gained back to the
ledge, clutched Il, and rolled into the
room.
Clouds OF smoke still poured through
the Quilted tenement, but tho
fires Roadway was checked. From
the floors overhead the men OF the
hook.and.ladder truck. their work
there done, came struggling down the
stairway.
Where's Kneeland?" the captain
ubheu, anu the next moultnN ne saw
the three at the window. Hello"
But the voice did not reach the
fireman. They lifted him unconscious.
and took him away 10 the hospital.
The woman and the policeman fol.
lowed downstairs and both spoke with
the captain.
Mother o Moses!" exclaimed the
latter. "You1l-youll--" but the
woman shook her head and went
away.
Guess it1l be ours 10 on our
hats to Kneeland when he gets back,
sOciable or no soclable." said Burke
on the ride home. Il always gave
MIN credit for havin' the right sort o.
stun, anyhow. An that cop chap was
the same as claimed his rescue in
the morning. Spose he was goin ter
try the same game again"