The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-06-12


cult. He could enter one of the
French windows. Ike knew the upper
fioors-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
woman's 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 il. dc. = he cid so the
burglar alarm rang loudly through the
/ house.
Red" was half along the passage.
| To go back to 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 to run for safety
and be caught An open closet with
a lot of clothing hanging in it 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 it
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-
ling down it. He heard confusedly the
cries of people in the street below.
He rushed to the window through
which he had climbed. Looking down
into the street across the garden, he
saw that 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, baffled, 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 t.
shut off the residential section from
the servants quarters. He passed al
open door-somebody stood there II
the curling smoke, with arms out
stretched, Keeling, cropping, sob
bling.
RED" did not hesitate an instant
He tore off his coat and wrapped l
about the girl He snatched blanke
nom the bed and placed 1t about her
covering her from head to feet Then
carrying her in his arms without
much difficulty, he turned to find tina
the whole wing had grown a fer,
hell.
And "Red" burst into the furnace
Tongues of flame caught at him, tn
binding smoke seemed contrivanc
To drive him into that seething, mo-
ten chaos of fallen timbers and col
roded metal, which had once been Al
elevator shaft, up which the fir
tongues burst with yellow and re
banners They drew at RED" lik
beasts with hungry maws. But h
evaded them. And now he was pam
ing under his burden at a window
looking down into the street, and b'
hind him the tongues were uncoiling.
The mob saw him. They yellet
The flremen had left the wall, for
was thought all the inmates were rel
: cued. The hose was playing upon tn
buildings right and left-no chance
save that one.
A brawny fireman leaped for tn
ladder, followed by two more. Tn
structure was within Reds" grasl
but he was too faint to feel for it, to
weak to use It, He chung to the viii
dow frame and held the girl out Il
J ward the mob.
For Gods sake!" he babbled.
didn't get the necklace, Lemme al
!, but"
The safety of this girl seemed tn
only thing in life to Red" He ha
forgotten all about his fears. Deaf
; was imminent now, the tongues OF nj
were licking hungrily at his fac
|, Red" passed his hand over his SINCE
/ pate and laughed weakly.
| 81 guess they've = COPIED n
, again. he muttered, and, handing II
girl to the nearest fireman, fell fam
: ing back toward the flames. 1t W;
in the very nick of time that the Sc
: ond fireman dragged Red" out ar
down the ladder to the cheering crow
: below
t "Who is he?" the people asked eat
;. other, as they pressed round him.
a my husband" were the words tn
;. fell upon Reds" ears He opened b
5 ewes. Over him kneeled the girl
had saved, and he recognized Lizzi
d looking at him with new tenderne