The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-04-10

Ell llLI>O
copyright 1908 ~ Bey.D.HAmptorc
window pane. she drank long drauehts Of air. like
hunted stag drinking from a lax, slowly strength
eturnea, and with 1t the realization of what she
lad to do. - -. '#sE
Taking last big breath of the blessed air. she
made another rush for the room the rear. But
mis- time she had not reached the bath room when
:he smoke nand seiizng her by the throat, forced
ner, staggering, back to the window. Fl
There was pitcher of water upon the table
She seized it. then snatched lone scarf from the
mantelpiece (bang! went the little clock to the
floor, and went ticking with its idotic cheer
fulness). She soaked the scarf in the water and
tied It over her nose and mouth. Then taking her
direction carefully, she shut her eyes and made
another rush into the smoke depths. :
It was a cropping, blind charg it seemed long
and she was losing sense Of direction when at
last, like blessing she felt to right and left the
walls of the narrow bath room. She brought up
against an obstacle. It the door. She opened
it. She was within the room. <
closed the door behind her and made for the bed
In the suffocat:ng darkness her two hands met
two other hands. These were limp. b.
She pushed er arms beneath him, and raised
him up against her bosom; carrying him, she
opened the and staggered out. :.
the eddeG sn0 if in frenzy at being
myriad carr1on birds; again, heavy and daccid the
Hand placed lt:elf upon her mouth. She went on
-
Close to the floor there, though, there was a
remnant of air. She crawed on alone, to the win
dow, took three long lfe-saving gups then crawled
back. seized two outstretehed hands, and, pulling
madly, drew the unconscious form toward her. She
laid it the SILL head in the air, then drawing
it up against her again. stepped out with it upon
the balcony.
BY this time the tiremen were arriving slowly
over the ice-smooth streets; Policeman Mulcahy.
who had been delayed slightly by interesting
anecdote told too Interestingly and completely in
Patrick DOMAINS cafe was running up the fire es
CAPE and the Muck-Raker (returning from the.
banquet), the Actress Lady (return1ng from the
theater), and the two Sun men Cooking for trou-
ble) were meeting nose to nose, very much excited
They were just in time to see very pretty pic
ture; upon the second-foor balcony, the Pallid
Child, in a white garment like an angels leaning
back against the wall with head dropping like a
tired lily's, holding in her arms as if it were
baby's, the limp form of the Crippled Hero.
Here, it must be said, at the risk of an anti
climax, that, if there is smoke without a
lire, this was an awful lot of smoke about mighty
small fire.
1t was smudge, more than fire, and was
rapidly put out by the brave dremen. =
typewriter Of the Muck-Raker in the inside parlor.
why did you do it," said the Crippled Hero to
the Pallid Child. = ~
~ He was in his wheeled chair and she was on the
sofa: The chair was uncompromisingly facing her,
and his gray eyes rested upon her in soft luminous
out stubborn 1nqulsitOn. .'@
The room. by the way was marvelously clean.
II,
could lid see that dremen had passed through here. a
went the type
why did you do t?" repeated the Crippled
Hero: His eyes were very soft and very insstent
"Oh'" said the Pallid Child land she wasn't tell
ing an9+ the 1n trutn that bad Rad Child: "oh
know; who can tell?) Il knew you were in there;
and that John (the Muck-Raker) was out; and
told me the chair was broken. He's an awfully
nice elevator boy, isn't he? The other day, wheu
was going to leave town, he took my trunk down
and do you know, he wouldn't take any tip; no.
sir, not one cent. was going to Texas But
didn't go. Mamma wants me to go. 1 changed
my mind: But don't Not near as much as she
thinks. Now, sister, she-'
why did you do t?" repeated the Crippled
Hero, calmly and evenly. The eyes of the Pallid
Child dilated with weary, haunted, prosecuted
look her lips pursed in pout and pouting, began
But she caught herself sharply "Oh you will
keep on asking such questions!" she said Il
don't know just came down, ran down, and then
I happened to remember you, were there The ele-
quet He makes speeches at banquets doesn't he?
He's awfully clever. 1t must be hard to get up
and SPEAK lots Of people, Especially when
SPEECH H.. When was at the convent. little bit
why did you do it?". repeated that very mex
Again the Pallid Childs eyes went wide with
haunted look, and her lips began to tremble. But
WIG
and the lips kept on trembling, and suddenly she
had slid off the sofa, to her knees on the floor and
she was sobbing there, her head in her arms
against the wheeled chair. sobbing as if her heart
would break. - -
"Oh," she said between sobs; ooh, DON'T
d11t want to marry don't want to marry Mr.
The Crippled Hero's right hand laid itself upon
the little head, shaking there beneath him; his
body below, and poured about them a luminous
tenderness; aud his voice had grave resonance
that filled the ROOM = e.. o*.<E#t
well, you won't have to- little Pallid Child"
he said soothingly; "us won't have to, bless us
ones" ..s.r 49,, : - 1s5
'Tick' went the typewriter behind the portieres.
stopping abruptly. There was the sound Of q door