The Washington herald., 1910-11-23

away, me performance had been over
Tor three-quarters OF an hour, but some
extremely important business letters had
arrived by the evening post, and must
be attended to at once. He had sent the
stage-door keeper home. unwilling 10 keep
the man any longer from his supper, and
was quite alone in the big theater
He could shut the stage-door and lock
IL after him when he had turned out the
electric light in the room where he was,
and the one in the entrance passage on
the ground floor. The taxicab that was
TO take him to the Peculiar Club was
waiting at an adjacent hotel, but before
he LEFT the theater Wilson conscientiousIy
to polish of the work which
lay before him even at the cost of his
own personal inclination.
He wrote steadily for half an hour,
checked some accounts. and then, looking
at his watch, found that ii was little
after twelve. He stretched himself liz a
cigarette. and picked up his overcoat.
How hot ii was! He had felt uncom-
Portable while writing Now he was &C
tually streaming with Precipitation.
MY liver must be out Of ORDER" he
thought, when suddenly he stopped dead
In the center OF the room.
There was a pricking at his nostrils,
bitter taste ran I'D his nerves 20 his
brain. He smelt something curious.
Then, swiftly, he became aware
Through the cracks OF the door and
from the space underneath Il thin
streams OF yellow smoke were begin
ming 10 curl into the room. and his ears
Suddenly caught distant sound OF NUT
tcring. like lot Of angry men locked up
in cellar, Ike shouts heard on IN a
mflodrama.
1t was now extremely hot, as hot as the
last room in a Turkish bath. and the
noise was Ike the roar Of an advancing
train.
The mans eyes grew wide with terror,
his lips trembled, he swayed as one about
to fall. lie reeled 10 the door and
opened H.
There was a fierce red glare upon the
whitewashed walls-a glare which played
and eddled through clouds OF black
smoke. and filled the narrow landing
with a hideous radiance. Re put his
hand upon the iron rail and withdrew il
with a groan. There was a blister uron
It. Then he staggered back into the
room and closed the door.
There was absolutely no possibility OF
escape. In FIVE or six minutes at most.
perhaps much less. the flames must
reach him.
He threw open the window and the
room Immediately cleared itself OF smoke.
Down below was dark. narrow passage.
without sign of life. but already he
could hear the excited shouts Of a crowd
on the other side OF the theater.
Death had come at last But how
should he die? Not, surely. IN the red
horror on the other side OF the door, No!
Better a thousand times 10 be dashed TO
pieces on the cold flags far down below
anything but the red horror!
Mabel,
He would never see her again She
would never know that he died sending
out all his love when in one last great
effort. that as he fell, her name was on
his lips
She would never know
Oh. for one moment OF FAREWELL
Then a thought flashed into his brain
with tearing foree-a last hope, There
was just one hope that he might say
good-by before he died for his agonized
eyes had fallen upon the telephone in
strument upon the wall by the window.
Science had given him a chance.
lie lifted the receiver and pressed il TO
his ear. and almost Immediately thin.
clear, and far away, he heard the an
swering "Hulloi"
With a tremendous effort-there was
not a second for explanation-he steadied
mis- voice, and gave the number OF the
Peculiar Club.
There was a distant rumble a olink-
how quick they were!-and he heard the
voice Of the hall porter at the club.
Miss Mabel Churchill? In a tremen-
dous hurry? Yes. sir; she's finished her
turn. I'll tell her at once"
The panels OF the door fell in. the red
flames came roaring through. the door
blazed up and vanished.
THAT you. dear hoy7''
$50 it's all over. darling-darllng OF
my heart! There's no chance. II will
be done in minute. But I had 10 say
good-by. I love you; remember me,
Good-by
He heard a sudden clang, the sound OF
a heavy fall-voices.
Farewell
He rushed TO the window TO end it all.
and the flames caught at his coat as he
fed.
For a second he sat upon the ledge,
thinking OF her sending her his last love
in this world. Then he turned round 70
let himself drop. for he could not face
the leap. The flames roared over his
head in a canopy. lighting up all the
abyss
And by their light. within a few inches
of his left foot. he saw a narrow, iron
ladder clamped to the wall. and running
right down to the ground.
1t was the permanent fire escape,
placed there by order of the London
County Council. and in two minutes VIII
son was in the street.
"A very pretty wedding" said Mr.. Sol
onion to his friend and partner. Mr.. CO.
hen, as the two gentlemen. with white
roses in their buttonholes. walked to-
ward the Carlton. about lunch time,
some five weeks afterward
Very" answered Mr. Cohen. Capital
fellow that Wilson. Near squeak for il.
though. down az Hackney"
1t was, though airs well that ends
well. The old house was capitally IN
sured. and We shall have a new and
modern theater there without it costing
US a penny"
And you'll put Wilson back there,
...........- %,