Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-11-28

Of despair which she remembered loni
after; "how am to save you, Ethel?'
She felt one awful thrill of fear
like the thrust Of a sword: then, with
the blind instinct of self preservation
she broke from Arthur Kenyon ant
ran toward the smoke -shrouded door.
way. He drew her back.
THE staircase fell behind me-" hi
said. you cannot escape that way
The old house Is like tinder-its walls
can stand but a minute more. Out.
side. the street Is full Of people, bu
, whether they can help us remains t.
be seen."
She began to comprehend something
of his heroism. The boarding house
by the riverside was sheeted in smoke
and flame without and within, and ir
this little room, at its very top, alone
with midnight and death, she looked
in Arthur Kenyon's begrimed but
fearless face, in something like
amazement.
why did you risk your life like
this?" she said. Il might have per-
ished in my sleep If you had not
aroused me-that would have been a
painless, merciful end. Save yourself
somehow. AS for me-" the terror had
all gone from her now. and she spoke
quietly, almost cheerfully, "ah, life Ia
over for me! I may as well close II
here and now, as in any place or at
any time"
The fire was curling around the
doorway and thrusting red hands into
the room. After 1t came the smoke
in a black, strangling storm. The
shouts and cries Of firemen and spec
tators, assembled in the street far be-
low. mingled with the din Of the roar
ing flames. Kenyon drew Miss Smith
to the one window Of the garnet.
There's but an instant between us
and DEATH" he said, quickly. why
did I risk my life to find you, Ethel?
Because I owed you this much by way
Of atonement. None dared to enter
the house to search for you-none but
mel" exultantly. Il was glad Of that.
{ said to myself, I will save her or
die with her! She shall see now that
l loved her better than my own self
she shall give me the full pardon
which she refused a few hours ago!'"
He seized a chair, and dashed out
the small, narrow window. At the
same moment a ladder was planted
against the wall outside-the cap of
a fireman appeared at the top.
gBe quick!" he urged.
Kenyon lifted Miss Smith to the
level Of the easement, and forced her
into the outstretched arms Of the man.
Something impelled her to look back.
It was all the work of an instant.
She saw Kenyon framed in the win
dow, with the flames making a red
background behind him. His hand
touched the sill, and fllen-then-as
the floor under his feet broke up like
an eggshell, and went down beneath
him, he clutched only at empty air,
fell back and vanished.
A-great sea Of f-aames-surged- resist
lessly over the spot where he had
stood, licked up the broken window
with a hundred forked tongues-a
storm Of sparks scared up to the
midnight sky and all was over.
He was gone and nothing more was
seen of Iris Greylock's divorced hus-
band, save handful Of charred bones,
gathered by stranger hands from the
ruins of the house by Millbridge river.
Down fell the wall, and the ladder
with it, hurling the fireman and Miss
Smith to the ground together. The
latter was lifted up insensible and
carried to a neighboring refuge. open
ed by some kind Samaritans to re-
ceive the homeless operatives.
When consciousness returned Miss
Smith found herself confronted by the
memory Of Kenyon's tragic sacrifice,
and certain grim facts that well-nigh
took her breath. She was absolutely
penniless. Her earthly possessions
had perished with the house. Even
the clothing had been nearly burned
from her body in her perilous escape.
How were her immediate and pressing
needs to be supplied?
All the ensuing day the injuries
which she had received kept her a
prisoner indoors, but as night fell, and
the necessities Of another day ap-
preached, she arose, borrowed such
garments as she needed, and prepar-
ed to go out.
Attached to a chain about her neck
were two valuable rings, the last rel
les that she possessed Of her past.
They had been the gift of Godfrey
Greylock Money she must have, and
at once.
She took the Jewels and went out
into the streets of Millbridse, to
search for some place where she
might dispose Of them.
Through a sombre twilight Miss
Smith hurried by the blackened
ruins of the house where Kenyon had
perished. turned a corner and plunged
into a small, dark shop, In the one
window Of which watches were dis
played, and various kinds Of jewelry.
A clerk was just lighting the lamps
as Miss Smith walked up to the show
case and laid upon 1t her two rings.
Il wish to dispose Of these,"' she
faltered.
The clerk threw down his lucifer
and stared at the girls pale, f1awless
face, and great ropes Of yellow hair;
then he examined the rings In a bus
iness-like way.
What value do you set upon them,
miss?" he asked
She shuddered.
'I know very little about their act
ual value. Give me whatever you
please"
THE proprietor has gone to supper
You'd better come again when he Is
here, miss-Tm not authorized TO
make such purchases"
The disappointment brought rush
Of taors to her ewes She Dicked up