The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-09-04
his best speed to the front and let the
baby down bya rope.

his arms the people broke into deaf
ening shout of joy. Eager hands
and swift feet hurried to assist him.
They were disappointed. He did not
come down, but hurried back, and
was shut in by smoke and flame. He
hurried to the side of his fallen school
mate. As he stood looking down at
him, trying to study out plan for
! his rescue, Andy appeared to think
he was there to gloat over his misfor-
tunes, and began again to vent his
anger in insulting language, while
his eyes glared fercely at him. Dick
paid no heed to this, but began to lift
and tug in his attempts to liberate
him from the unyielding grip of the
timber. 20, for an ak, for just sixty
seconds" he groaned, and kicked a
blazing brand away that had fallen
across Andy.
The flames were rapidly eating
their way toward them. The roar
and crackle of the fire were nerve
racking. The smoke was so dense
that he could scarcely see the face of
his companion. Dick appeared to be
powerless in all his attempts to liber-
ate him. Andy's angry words ceas-
ed, for the smoke and heat were fast
taking his strength and conscious
ness. The air was the breath of a
seven times heated fiery furnace.
Hopes for escape were rapidly fading
away.
For the fiftieth time Dick lifted at
the timber that held Andy to the
floor. While straining his muscles,
a tongue of flame licked across his
face, leaving him gasping for breath
and destitute of eyebrows and part
of his hair. This awakened strength
within him that he did not know he
possessed. When he could breathe
again all the giant powers of his
young.muscles, hardened on the cam
pus and in the gymnasium, were
gathered into one supreme effort. He
straightened himself up under the
mighty strain. The timber cracked
and groaned, and at last gave way.
The limp Andy was quickly lifted
and hugged against his breast, and
Dick started for the onter world. He
was none too soon, for the floor where
the helpless man had lain melted
down like wax, almost as soon as
Dicks feet left it. revealing roar
ing, hungry sea of FIRE below. He
tried to hurry, but he was fast losing
strength. He staggered under his
burden. The floor seemed to be
going down. He could hardly keeT
his feet. Spiteful points of flame
spit and hissed at him through burn
ing gaps in the floor, like serpent
tongues of the neither world, while
the roaring, seething furnace below
shouted with hundred exultant,
demon voices, mocking his feeble at.
tempts to live and save the life oi
another. These voices laughed al
him in a tantalizing fashion, and,
like cat teasing its prey before de.
stroying it, they let him go little
farther, so certain they seemed of al
last consuming him and his burden
in their red, boiling nav.
Again he reeled. He sank to his
knees, not ten feet from the door that
opened on to the balcony. He grew
faint and his mind became confused
Objects turned black even the gilt.
tering fire about him was changed into
darkness. Reason would no longer
do his bidding. His dogged stub
bornness alone remained to marshal
his spent forces, and impel him tc
rise and stumble on again. In last,
desperate effort he goaded his be.
numbed faculties, rallied his exhaust.
ed forces, and struggled on, although
unable to see his way.
At last he fell, as one dead, out
on to the balcony floor, In full view
of the throng below, who had long
since given him up as lost. Many
strong and willing hands carried him
and his companion to the shade of
great elm in the park, where friends
and physicians ministered to theii
needs. At first the physicians shook
their heads, but youth and a surera'
bundance of physical vitality were in
the favor of the unconscious young
men.
AS Dick opened his swollen eyes
he anxiously inquired: "Where is
Andy1 Is he safe r" As he spoke
he partly raised on his elbow, and.
turning his head, saw Andy's eyes
staring full at him.. There was nc
anger in them, but they were filled
with interrogation points.
"I'm all right" replied Andy.
Good enough p responded Dick
"Say, Dick, can you let me take
back all the meanness and abuse
fred at you at the schoolhouse and ur
in that old fre-trapl Twas too mean
for anything, and am ashamed of it.
/ want to make amends. Say, car
you, old fellow?"
80, you go away What are you
trying to give me ?" Dick replied
But his hand spoke in deeper Ian
guage, for it reached out toward the
penitent Andy in a friendly fashion
"Dick, you are worth while, " sale
Andy, with lump in his throat, a:
he eagerly gripped his hand.-1A'
EbUOyM Herald.
PRETTY GOOD FISHING.