El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-03-04

= self
To her mind, numbered by the shock
of the announcement, the words at LrSC
meant nothing. Mrs. Minors house was
on fire. Her house. and her children
were in it, Suddenly her stunned brain
grasDed the import of the fearful news
and. with a shrek Of horror, she
sprang from her chair at the taDie ana
rushed blindly toward the door.
At the alarm, John Robbins mad
Ieaped through the long French WIN
dow, and Keith Lacy ana DT- 1saseE
had followed him Helen ROBBINS sat
dumbly in her chair, the picture or
helpless terror It was Dr. Haynes
who in the midst Of the confusion and
CONSERVATION, thought Of the aSOnized
mother. He caught her as she reached
the door of the dining room and re-
strained her wild flight Throwing MS
overcoat about her, he hurried her
across the porch and down the steps
at the foot OF which stood his car At
the turn OF the crank the machine
sprang into life, and lifting Beatrice
into the automobile, the man sprang
in beside her
sit stilll" he commanded "Pu get
you to the house before the men ger
there. Try to be braTe!
The Fire.
He threw on the clutch and the car
leaned away down the drive like a
living creature As they turned out OF
the gate Beatrice screamed schr1lly- Up
4 on the hillside an angry glow ugnLed
BE brave!- urged the doctor, but
even as he spoke a yellow tongue OF
flame darted up from among the trees;
I than sank Again the woman screamed
like a wounded animal, and once more
| her companion commanded her 10 Dc
quiet,
1 leading to the bungalow the burning
building flashed into full view. Flames
were pouring from one OF the western
windows and behind two OF the others
L. az "A
the house there was q sudden crash
Of breaking glas and another greaE
banner of fire was flung forth and
swept upward toward the roof
DR.. Haynes's car rushed through tho
little group Of frightened villagers
gathered on the scene, stopped sud
denly, and the owner sprang to the
sGre the children all right?' hss
shouted hOarsely.
= 'sTVe don't know walled a womans
'Nobody amt seen EN-, M Lacys
Kind hands caught Beatrice and held
her while she rayed and struggled to
free herself She saw Dr.. Haynes leap
Up the steps Then there came another
gOar OF flames, ana a man SLa55eI-L
from the house, his hands held before
! his face A tongue OF flaTne darted ouL
Of the doorway, reaching Tor MN
hungrily- He screamed and fell mo
the doctor arms -.
1t was Keith Lacy, who had tried to
penetrate the burning building. but he
had come forth alone
They're in therel' he sObbed-
heard them callingr' And, as he spoke
another window fell in and q shower
OF hot glass was sprinkled over the
two men as they staggered from the
Take Mrs. Minor away" ordered the
physician. Take her away. And as
I the women in the crowd attempted 70
obey his order, he and Lacy turned
70 Of 10 DIOR from
which smoke was pouring
A Reseuer.
Where are the childrenE" called the
physician above the roaring Of the fire
In an inside ROOM gasped the
I westerner- "And the living room this
! side of it is in a blaze We can't
Z reach themr'
/ A man dashed mast them as he spoke
and sprang up the steps He was
wrapped in a blanket, and his face was
Z hidden in the shadow For moment
I he was seen in the fHckering light OF
the doorway, which had burst into
sudden flame. Then the smoke belched
forth and erased him.
He went i'm" exclaimed the ply
stefan God, but he's got nerTeI"
He didn't" shouted Lacy, He
jumped from the porch Just as the
smoke struck him. I saw him"
He reeled and would have fallen had
not his companion caught him It was
then the physician saw, by the red
glare, that the young mans face was
blackened by the smoke and his hands
torn and bleeding. He saw, also. that
he was almost fainting. and that he
was too weak to stand Throwing his
arm about the slender form, he dragged
him from in front Of the Teranda to
the turf at one side Then. telling q
bystander TO look out for that chap.s
he ran around TO the back OF the
bungalow The flames were not as
strong here is in front, and, with a
sudden hope. he caught up a stick and
e hInlN in hn ola # r-Ha
window. But the fierce heat OF the
room needed only the draught created
BY the broken window to burst into
flames, and by the time he had thrust
his hand through the broken pane
unlocked the sash and raised it, the
room was on fire.
It's hOpelessF he muttered- 'cUttsrs
He could not reach the children in
the little room in the center of the
house, and he turned to hurry back to
their mother. When he reached her she
was stin feebly resisting the kindly
hands that were trying to draw her
away
put her into my carr directed ths
physician III take her back to Mrs
Robbins This is no place for her. She
viii kill herself If she STAYS"
Maynard, the Hero.
But even as he spoke ne saw that
Beatrice Minor did not hear him Ex-
hausted in mind and body, she had all
most swOOned, and she allowed her
self to be lifted again into the auto
mobile, where she lay, limp and silent.
The fire engine from the village had
arrived and was pouring a small and
Intellectual stream Of water upon the
western side Of the house. which was
by now mass Of bright, cracking
fire.
An awed crowd had assembled and
gazed silently at the doomed building.
There was little noise save for the
deep. thrOaty roar Of the flame. and an
occasional order shouted by one OF the
volunteer firemen. There was some
thing appalling in the horrible GER
tainty with which the fire did its work
People had stopped talking and were
looking on aghast.
Then suddenly a sound. part cheer,
part grOan, went up from the crowd
For out through the blazing doorway
man reeled. His face could not be
seen, for it was pressed TO a bundle
that he carried in his arms. He stag
gered to the end of the smoking porch
and stood at the head OF the steps,
swaying perilousiy. His head was hair
less and little bright patches OF fire
smOuldered in the rags that had been
his clothing. His face. when he lifted
1t from the huge bundle he carried,