The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1909-09-02

with his hat. + ached all over, but I
In. hack upon the grass and thanked
| my hardworking old guardian angel
that | was still aboard this pretty
good old earth.
Then | heard crash like thou
sand claps of. thunder. The earth
seemed to, reel before the blast like
ship In a storm. Between us and
| that red glare something shot upward
something big, black and screeching
"a building that man had studied and
| planned and abored to build An
other followed. and another and an
| other like handfuls of sand thrown in
| the air by children. Whole squares
seemed rising and melting. 1t was
| br-r-r-um, br-r-r-Ilm. br-r-r-um-um-um!
| There was no waiting, no pause The
world seemed leaping into atoms,
| while the flames reached up long arms
to grasp the fragments before they re-
| turned to earth. 1t was the wrath Of
God pitted against the fiendishness Of
Satan. 1t was awful-awful.
Amy covered her eyes with her
hands and sobbed softly.
Don't" begged Jack 'please don't.
l can't stand it,
She raised her eyes to his suddenly
"Oh." she said, ''do you care:"
Yes" he cried passionately and held
out his hands. He was standing above
her. | never saw greater tenderness
on Il mans face
/ For an instant she looked at him.
then lowered her eyes again. A pearl
glistened on the end of Il lash
'Ncu aren't fair she said, rather
rebellious,y. You are taking an ad-
vantage
Il am unfair" he replied tremulous-
ly. Forgive me-" He turned about
and bit his nails. He was pale. yet
perspiration beaded his forehead.
Presently he faced her again.
Il am sorry he said. I'VE might
have saved some of your effects. You
have lost everything. am afraid. for.
see. the flames must already have
reached your hotel.' His voice was
solicitous, almost tender. Yet there
was no trace Of passion in it.
No" she said. Il did not lose all
The rest does not matter" She spoke
softly. avoiding his eyes
You saved something?" he asked.
He was looking away to where the dy-
Mantle and the fire were leaping at
each Others throat.
"A trifle,'' she said wearily, raising
her eyes and dropping them again. Il
had gone back after it and was return
ing When--you came"
| saw him glance at her quickly
then avert his eyes. If | might
guess he began. but she interrupted
You forget. You are not to be un-
fair
He bit his lip, but smiled wanly.
Come. then" he said, 1T were best
we go. Will take you to Sister Grace
in Oakland Would you mind:'
She hesitated Il will promise not to
see you," he resumed quickly, ''un-
less
"Unless!''
Unless you wish"
Il will not mind, them she said.
Again we were in the throns. push
ing. showing. With Amy between us.
Jack and | fought our way inch by
inch till we reached the ferry build
ing and We're aboard the boat Slowly
we crossed the bay-with the pace of
Il snail. The red flames seemed leap
ing toward us as though seeking to
clasp rs to their scarlet breasts We
could see the streets leading down to
the wharfs-biack with creatures dumb
and swaying with the intensity Of aw-
full despair The water front was !,
sureing mass, the docks crowded with
cringing humanity. their faces fiend-
ish in the reddish. fiickering light.
When I felt my feet again on solid
ground took full breath | don't
think | ever put my lungs to any bet
ter use. Amy was laughng-the ul-
natural merriment Of one whose nerves
are frayed ut the edges. Jack guided
her out of the crowd. His face was
tense with the words that tremblpd in
his eyes. but were not to be spoken
He was aging fast. The strain, the
anxiety. the heartache. We're telling
on him. We We're all silent--I clingina
to the joy Of living, Amy with dewy
eyes, Jack drinking in the sweetness