The Winslow mail., 1911-10-21

S The reason Tor this 0Tea0ful tur'
mol swept across her faculties, clear
ing them instantly.
The freight house was on fire.
A panther-like spring across the
floor and one glance through the
doors revealed sinuous coils of writh-
ing smoke ascending the air currents.
How long had the fire been at
work? Had she time to escape by
the stairs? Her foot was on the land
ing when it occurred to Milly that
all of the workers in the yard were
in the greatest jeopardy-trapped lit
orally by the towering walls of the
freight house. And Carl was there
Carl!
She dashed across to the switch
board and began notifying the men
in the yard of the fire. She called up
Meurer as calmly as the others
heard his slow, deep voice merging
into shout of excitement. Suddenly
her blanched face went whittier than
ever.
Call up Miss Donnelly; you can
get her before any of the rest of us.
Bur-"
But Milly flung the receiver from
her with maniacal laugh and leaped
toward the door once again.
So the little senseless chit was in
peril-extreme peril, perhaps So be
it! The ground floor might be a
mass of flames before she had an
in klin0 Nh
either, at this hour except over the
switchboard in the main Office, and
Milly controlled that
She hung for h.oment above the
well-like stairs, then skinned down
the broad steps. One flight was ac-
mplished-another was begun-now
she was at the third landing. Here
the smoke was more dense.
She could hear the rending snarl of
the flames; catch sickening whiff
from the cellars where the stored
merchandise was burning. A burst
of fresh, outside air dispersed the
smoke-clouds an instant Milly gulp-
ed greedily, was REFRESHED ard, with
returning vigor, full appreciation of
her own detestable ,nduct, passed
through her heart like the thrust of
a sword
Had she time left in which to warn
the girl?
She wheeled and took the stairs
with frantic speed. The ascending
flights seemed endless To breathe
meant acute pain-her muscles re
fused to obey, her limbs to bear her
up. Midway on the last fight she
sank to her knees. A hot gust swept
up from the inferno beneath but it
stirred her heavy limbs so that she
could crawl the remainder of the dis
tance.
Somehow she reached the switch
board and stirred, schooling herself
to be rational laying fast hold of her
reeling brain, she called up the super
intendents office. Would the oper-
ator never answer-perhaps She
Margaret-was already past human
aid
Finally Margaret's voice, barely
recognizable, so hoarse and terrified,
reached Milly.
THAT isn't you, surely! Yes! Yes!
We are safe here, but don't you know
you are cut off by fire, they say
Poor, poor Milly-''
The receiver fell from Milly's nerve
less fingers. She had finished her
work. She had fought the good fight
She
Red fire danced before her receding
vision, something snapped in her
overtaxed brain and she lurched for
ward insensible, as volume of
smoke poured into the room.
The fire was a thing of the past
when Milly, in the gray dawn, strug-
gled back to consciousness.
She was on the lounge in the super
intendent's Office, where she had been
borne by Carl after he had made a
desperate dash through the binding
smoke to rescue her. His usually
full, rosy face was blanched and
CHASTITY as he knelt beside her.
Was every one saved?" she whis-
pered
Dearest"
Why are you crying, Carl?" She
made an effort to rise; her eyes were
pathetic in their terror. WAS Mar
garet not saved after all?"
Every one was saved, every one.
But, Milly, how near l came to losing
youi"
TT was worth while" Delicate
color wavered across her white face,
Worth while! Oh, Milly!"
Yes, Carl; because found you"
Poor Consolation.