The Washington herald., 1911-09-10

NJ. SAINT-SAENS,
The French composer and pianist whose compost
tons are now in great favor in the Paris music
halls.
appearance OF a resistance stronger thar
they had expected, were making theil
escape. Once in a while there was heard
a loud derisive shout, now and again the
crack Of a spiteful rife, resounding ir
echoes against the hillsides.
Dunowdy was among the first to dis.
appear in search of these besiegers. Fol
an instant Josephine was left alone un-
decided, alarmed, in front Of the great
doors. Eleazar, to save the plunging
team, had now wheeled the vehicle back
and was seeking a place for it lower
down the lawn. 1t was as she stood thus
hesitant that there approached her from
some point in the bushes a disheveled
figure. Turning, she recognized none
other than old Sally, her former jailer
and sometime friend.
Sally" she cried; Sally! What is It?
Who has done this? Where are they?
What is it all about? Can't anything be
done?"
But Sally, terrified beyond reason, could
exclaim only one word: 'Whah~ is he?
Whah's Mr. Dunwody? Quick!' An in
slant later, she, too, was gone.
At the same moment, Dunwody, weapon
in hand, dashed around the corner of
the house and up on the front gallery.
Apparently he was searching for some
one whom he did not find. Here he was
soon discovered by the old negro woman,
who began an excited harangue, with
wild gesticulations. To Josephine 1t seem
ed that Sally pointed toward the interior
of the house, as though she beckoned,
explained. She heard his deep-voiced cry.
BY this time the flames had taken firm
hold upon the entire structure. Smoke
tinged with red lines poured through the
great double doors of the mansion house
Yet even as she met the act with an, eX-
clamation of horror, Josephine saw Dun
woody fling away his weapon, run to the
great doors and crash through them,
apparently bent upon reaching some
point deep in the interior.
Others saw this. and Joined in her
cry of terror. The interior OF the hall,
thus disclosed by the >opening of the
doors. seemed but a mass OF flames. An
instant later, Dunwody staggered back,
his arm across his face. His hair was
smoking. the mustaches half burned
from his lips. He gasped for breath,
but. revived by air. drew his coat across
his mouth and once again dashed back.
josephine. landing with hands clasped.
her eyes filled with terror, expected
never TO see him emerge alive.
He was scarcely more than alive when
once more he came back. blinded and
staggering. This time arms reached out
to him. steadied him. dragged him from
smoke. to a place of safety.
He bore something shielded. concealed
in his arms-something. which now he
carried tenderly and placed down away
from the sight of others. behind the
shade of a protecting clump of shrub
berry. His breath. labored. sobbing
showed his distress. They caught him
again when he staggered back, dragged
him to a point somewhat removed. upon
the lawn. All the time he struggled, as
though once more to dash back into the
flames, or as though to find his weapons
He was sobbing. ualf crazed, horribly
burned. but seemingly unnindful of his
hurts.
The fire went on steadily with it's
work. the more rapidly now that the
opening of the front doors had admitted
air to the interior. The construction of
the house, with wide central hall, and
stairways leading up almost to the roof,
made an admirable arrangement for a
conf1agration. No living being, even
though armed with the best of fire fight
ing apparatus, could have survived in
that blazing interior. All they could do,
since even bucket brigade was out Of
the question here, was to stand and
watch for the end. Some called for lad
ders, but. by accident or design, no lad
ders were found where they should have
been. Men ran about like ants. None
knew anything of times passing. No
impression remained on their minds save
The fascinating picture of this tall pillar
Of the fire.
Dunwody ceased to struggle with those
y 90 - IL T. IL
near to the little clump of shrubs. He
dropped TO the ground, his face in his
hands.
What do you reckon that thah was
ne brung out in his arms, that timer"
demanded Mr.. William Jones, after a |
lime. Of neighbcr who met him little
apart. Say, you reckon that was folks?
Anybody in there? Anybody over-thah ?
Was that a bed-folded up like-'bout like |
crib. say? I'm skeered to go look, |
somehow"
God knows" was the reply. This
lere house mas had mighty strange !
soings on of late times. There was al !
ways something strange about it-some-
hing strange about Dunwody. too! There |
lint no doubt about that. But I'm
keered, too-him a-settin' thah-"
But who was she, or it. whatever 1t
vas? How come-it-in there? How
ong has it been there? What kind Of
'oings on do you think there has been
n this here place, after all?" Mr.. Jones
vas not satisfied. They passed apart,
exclaiming, wondering
An hour later, Tallwoods mansion
Iouse was no moro. The last Of cornice
nd pillar and corner post and beam had
allen into a smoldering mass. In front
Z one long window a part OF the heavy
rick foundation remained. Some bent
nd warped iron bars appeared across
window
Unable to do anything, those who had
Witnessed such scenes. scarce found 1t
cssible to depart They stood about.
or remaining silent. some
egafding the smoldering ruin. Once in
while head was turned over shoul-
er toward a bowed form which sat
lose under a sheltering tree upon the
AVN
He is taking 1t mighty hard, said
his or that neighbor. Lost nigh about
verything he had in the world" But
till his bowed form, stern in Its sem
nelship, guarded the Something con-
saled behind the shadows. And still
hey dared not go closer.
So. while Dunwody was taking that
-hich had come 10 him, as human
eings must, the gray Of the dawn
rawIed up, up over the eastern edge
I this little Ozark valley. After
Il