The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-05-26

months after his talk with Bethany
1t was little fire at first, but 1t
spread swiftly, and by the time that
the call came to his company. from
the other end of the town, a whole
block of tenement buildings was
ablaze. And mounted on the fire
truck, he felt the whizzing air sweep
by, he saw the horses plunge madly
in answer to the deafening bell, and
his heart leaped up in his breast. He
was a man! He would show them
that he was man.
The hose was playing upon the ire;
it might as we'll have been a childs
squirtgun for all the effect 1t had.
Above him-far above-he saw white
faces of women at the windows. He
heard their cries family in his ears.
He was working upon the hose, and
other men, more Trustworthy than he,
were climbing up the long ladders to
bring the women down to safety.
Suddenly he saw burst of fire that
leaped out from a window and en-
quilted the ladder nearest him. 1t ate
through the side bars as though they
were match sticks. Crash! Two men
fell from hideous height and struck
the street close by. He did not look
at them.
He did not look for he had other
work in hand. Already another lad.
der was being raised. Harrigan
sprang forward and began to ascend.
He heard shouts beneath him. The
captain was ordering him down. This
was not for him; he was coward
and this was no towards work. He
climbed steadily, though the frail lad
der trembled and shook beneath his
weight. Now he had reached that aw-
full gulf of fire. He felt 1t scorch his
skin; he heard his hair crackle as 1t
singed.
He swung from the ladder to the
narrow coping, just out Of the reach
Of the flames. He did not dare look
down. Above him-only one story
above. he saw those women's faces.
Even as he looked two disappeared.
They had run back into the room.
seeking madly for an outlet. One, i'm
mediately above. looked down. He
choked. 1t was Mary.
Now he had no more fear He
braced himself backward, standing
upon the narrow ledge, half an inch
from eternity. He bent his knees and
leaped, stretching wildly upward. One
hand found the window sill above and
chung to it: the other hand CROPPED and
found it; now he was drawing himself
up by an effort superhuman. In an
other moment he was on the ledge by
Mary's side. He clasped her in his
arms.
He looked down into the cluster Of
awed faces No men had ever done
such deed before. And he had gone
to his death. for there seemed no
chance of reaching him. They chung
together on the ledge. fire over and
under them. One minute of life re-
NAMED.
"Mary-my love!" he whispered,
pressing his lips to her cold cheek
She opened her eyes. john" she
answered. smiling.
you are married, DEAR"
mo. John. was-waiting," she
answered.
For me?' he cried
ITO show that you were man,
John. And you have shown me-"
Shouts came to him. The men were
bracing ladders. An elongated snake
Of wood crawl up the side Of the wall
The fiery tongues beneath were
quenched. John felt for the ladder
top with his feet and found it. He
placed his feet upon the topmost
rung, supporting Mary in his arms,
and tainted in the arms Of the man
who had climbed to save him.
well done, John Harrigan,"
voice was murmuring far away. He
in amusement. What was
the voice saying-"Rravest man, on
the fire force?" He opened his eyes.
He looked into the keen blue eyes
beneath the thick eyebrows Of Fire
Chief Bethany.
(COpyright 1919 nv w q ChanmanN