The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-10-20
[CoNTINUED.l

nier merely said that he had turned
the lights low in the sitting room and,
obedient to Shoes" orders, had gone
I'D to his rooSt, too wrathful and amaZ-
ed over what had occurred even to
think of sleep-tO think, in fact, OF
ANYTHING but the colonels words. SO
absorbed was he as he slowly un-
dressed he never noted the sounds from
below until his room Of sudden
seemed filled with smoke. and, throw
ing open the door, he was amazed to
find the hallway ablaZe. the stairs i'm
passable Running to his dormer win
dow, he yelled fire at the top of his
voice Sentry No. heard and came
running down the back fence, saw the
peril let drive a shot and gave yell
that reused every one at the hospital.
poor Rafferty,, half crazed, half dressed
coming leaping along among the first.
And there at his back window, chOk-
ing with smoke and tossing out cloth
ing and other belongings, stood Mr..
Lanier. Some men went searching for
ladders up the line Of back yards, the
post hook and ladder truck being, of
course, on the far side Of the gar
rison. There being no extension and
sheds to this little box, as to the lar
ger quarters up the line, other men be-
gan shouting and Lieutenant Grayson
imploring Mr.. Lanier to jump, for al
ready the flames had burst through
the windows below. Then came the
episode the regiment laughed over,
swore over, talked over, many long
year thereafter. To Grayson's appeal
Bob's only answer was calm and de-
liberate:
"Give my compliments to the colo
mel, will you. and tell him that, my
quarters being all ablaze. I'd like an
extension Of arrest?'
Then Sumter and Stannard came in,
tumultuous, and ordered him down, and
Blake and Curbit and the rest of the
card party came tearing after them
and berated him for an absurdity and
implored him not to be an ass. And
then a bright tongue of flame licked
and the door panels burst from the
heat, and all the room at his back
suddenly blazed with fire, and then
went up the cry from that agOniZed
girl, at sound of which Lanier start
ed and strove to climb to the little
window sill, with lurid sheet tapping
down about his head, and then brace
of young Irishmen. Cassidy foremost,
came scrambling up human pyramid
smoking and singeing below them.
They reached the blazing caves and
burst through the fringe of flame.
dragging Bob forth and on to the
edge and then tottered all together
into that blessed mound Of snow be-
meath. fast melting in the glare of that
fiery furnace.
And thus were we brought to the
morning of Thursday. the sixth since
the eventful night when Miriam Ar
nold's shrek had alarmed the gar
rison; Miriam, whose voice had now
been heard a second time, appraised in
frantic dread and appeal, but this
time for the young soldier who on the
previous Friday night, forgetful of his
arrest, had rushed forth at her cry.
but this night had to be dragged;
Miriam, who now lay sick from maid
emily shame that in one wild appeal to
save her lover she had so betrayed
herself.
With Thursday noon came resump-
ton of Geographic communication
and the long stalled railway trains
from east and west. With Thursday
afternoon came wires from Arnold.
the father begging to know had his
daughter started, and back went the
electric message that she neither had
nor could nor would for a week, "full
details by post With Thursday
evening came stacks of belated let
tiers, with whole bales of newspa-
pers," said the stage driver, to fol-
low. and with Thursday midnight, long
after every one had gone to bed, there
came a tapping at Major STANDARDS
storm door and presently fumbling at
the bell knob, changing of the bell.
" ~" tuC S1ccpy
major as he scuttled downstairs in
slippers and dressing gown.
at is Mayhem, SIR" said a solemn
voice. 1--WE come not hoping, only
praying. l may find my daughter
here"
"Good Godv' said Stannard. "Come
in" And he led forthwith his aged and
trembling comrade within doors, seat
ed him by the still glowing stove in the
front room and struck a light. In less
than minute Mrs. Stannard, too, had
Joined them, her kind blue eyes filled
with tender pity and sorrow. Poor
motherless Dora had no lack of friend
ly counsel and fond, womanly sympa-
thy when once she could be brought to
lay her burden there. And now, with
his gray hairs bowed in sorrow to the
dust, poor MAYHEM had come to tell