The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-06-11

uOuSt aAd NuN QAalhOAa htNh4aN0 NA4fV
he, Red" worked for eight dollars
a week! And Lizzie, whom she was
TO discover for him as soon as he had
made a man of himselfi He would
show her what sort OF a man he was.
He talked the situation otter with
Ike. During the course OF his single
visit 10 the house Red" had, with
true craftsman's eye. summed up the
architectural features. To ascend TO
the second story by means OF the or
namental column would not be diff
cult. He could enter one OF the
French windows. Ike knew the upper
foors-he had gone there in the guise
OF gas inspector. If Red" could get
the necklace, Ike could catch it from
his hand in the court below and hold
any intruders at bay while "Red"
made his getaway along the covered
courtway
Red" was at the appointed place.
He and Ike had worked their way
into the grounds through the base
ment of the unoccupied house next
door. Ike was waiting below, and
Red" had Skinned up the column and
stood irresolutely upon the porch out
side the third-story window. He knew
that window communicated with a
| passage, and, once inside, he must
turn TO the right TO reach the old
womans bedroom. But his head had
never been very good for second story
work. and he hesitated an instant be-
fore he threw up the window and
stepped inside. AS he did so the
| burglar alarm rang loudly through the
house.
Red" was half along the passage.
To go back 10 that window would be
fatal policy. The unexpected alarm
struck terror into Reds" heart, but
he kept his head well enough not to
yield to the instinct 10 run for safety
and be caught. An open closet with
lot of clothing hanging in 1t attract
ed his notice. He plunged inside and
pulled the door tight after him. There
he crouched minute after minute.
trembling in fear Of capture. He
could hear nothing inside, for the
door fitted tightly, he did not know
whether he was being pursued; but II
was growing uncomfortably hot.
Perhaps Red" waited there twenty
minutes. At last, when he could en-
dure the heat no longer, he opened the
door cautiously. Instantly cloud OF
smoke rushed in. Red" plunged into
the passage, to find the smoke whir-
A. 10 rA nAnfucndlu tho
cries of people in the street below.
He rushed 10 the window through
which he had climbed Looking down
into the street across the garden, he
saw that a fire line had been formed.
He saw the men affixing ladders; he
saw the smoke-shrouded building.
Flames were bursting from every win
dow, except those OF the wing in
which he was trapped, and he did not
know the way out.
In mad terror he broke along the
corridor, plunging into room after
room, only to recoil, baffied. before
the forty feet OF vertical wall that
overlooked the garden.
Red" tried to collect his thoughts
Yes, he saw the situation now. He
must reach the front of the house
where the firemen had erected the lad
ders. He turned back and raced to
ward a swing door, which seemed to
shut off the residential section from
the servants quarters. He passed an
open door-somebody stood there in
the curling smoke, with arms out
stretched, reeling. cropping, sob
bing.
Red" did not hesitate an instant.
He tore off his coat and wrapped il
about the girl He snatched blanket
from the bed and placed IL about her,
covering her from head to feet. Then,
CARRYING her In his arms without
much difficulty, he turned TO find that
the whole wing had grown a fiery
hell.
And Red" burst into the furnace.
Tongues of flame caught at him, the
binding smoke seemed contrivance
TO drive him into that seething, mol
ten chaos of fallen timbers and cor
roded metal, which had once been an
elevator shaft, up which the fire
tongues burst with yellow and red
banners. They drew at Red like
beasts with hungry maws. But he
evaded them. And now he was pant
ing under his burden at a window,
looking down into the street, and be-
hind him the tongues were uncoiling
The mob saw him. They yelled.
The flremen had left the wall, for 1t
was thought all the inmates were res
cued. The hose was playing upon the
buildings right and left-no chance to
save that one.
A brawny fireman leaped for the
ladder, followed by two more. The
structure was within Reds" grasp,
Sut he was too faint 10 feel for IL, too
weak 10 use II. He clung to the win
dow frame and held the girl out to-
ward the mob.
For Gods sake!" he babbled. IL
didn't get the necklace. Lemme die,
but"
The safety OF this girl seemed the
only thing in life TO Red" He had
forgotten all about his fears. Death