The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-09-26

ana stamina coupled with the furious desire
to live, kept him going. Once despair OF
saving his life seized him; and there came a.
manly and dignified way. Il will stand
here" he said, .'untii I burn" And he
4 battered and bleeding head High and erect.
But when the heat became so intense that
his clothes began to give out smoke, he
turned once more and fed.
To man with average sight 1t would
have been an easy matter to have eluded
that fire. It had descended the mountain IN
narrow path It was Professor SUMTER 8. Is s
step it. BY taking up his original stand at
the back Of the hut, instead OF at the front,
he need not have moved until help came.
Even now old man Smellsgood was stand
ing at comfortable distance from the red
hot ruins Of the hut and wondering what
fool had set 1t on fire and why
Through the forest itself the fire was only
burning broad path, confined to this by
open barrens and swamps or by timber too
green and well watered to burn. From the
mouth of theScave 1t looked like receding
column OF smoke, and there was no real
menace in It for anyone but Professor Sttl-
liter. Him 1t bounded on and on. And
now. continually, like a child that babbles.
he was asking God to save him. Christ to
pity him.
AS he lost blood. his progress became
slower and slower, and death stared him In
prieve. He came to a gravelly bank steep
that In trying to get down it he began to
slide, could not save himself, and was
dumped presently into Ice cold deep wafer.
For moment the shock refreshed and
invigorated him and gave him hope. he
could SWIM and water cannot burn.
Whether he was in a pond or lake OF some
very large, he could swim across, and at
least find safety from the fire, AT nrst u
easy t. SWIM sn tn n tns
but after while 1t was not 80 easy.
He was good swimmer. and while fioaf.
Ing and treading water he managed to get
would need them when he got ashore. Yes.
but he would have to do without them.
He began to tire again. and there was no
sign Of the opposite shore.
He was in one Of the narrowest lakes In
that part of the Adirondacks, but It was
several miles long and he was trying 20
swim It from end to end. The Jig was UP.
When he realized this he fastened the
Inevitable by screaming and screaming ana
then by bursting into tears and sobbing.
After a while his final struggles stopped.
He 1oatei in the water with his race unoer'
kind Of foam came to the surface rom tne
his knees and kicked feebly. as II ne was
still alive and trying to swim.
After long time Freddie the Ferret, lead
ing Celestia as IL she had been blind, blund-
cred to the foot Of the cliff in which was the
main entrance to the cave. Into this no
penetrated little way and there began to
only response was the echoing OF his voice.
So Freddie went back to Celestia. and
there she stood with bewtldered puzzled
look on her face, and both her hands Delns
breathing as IL he had been running up
hill.
Don't look puzzled now. Celestia
Tommy was saying. you know me. It's all
right. I'm the driver you know, ana you
have to obey the driver. So wake up. Be
yourself"
rrtov ca1aofio SnoLa
"The driver" she said. sis dead Pro-
fessor Stilliter told me-
told you was dead?
Celestial nodded and turned away as II the
matter was of no further interest
Freddie" exclaimed Tommy what are
we going to do about Celestia? Has she
been this way ever since went into the
cave"
shes bughouse" said Freddie simply
stilliter from getting hold of her? He
thought he'd shot me. couldn't get out
of the cave as quickly as he could. sup
HE did, said Freddie. laconically.
But here she is. What became OF him z"
dunno"
Then the Ferret told his little story OF bat
tie, his fight to the finish In the moonlight.
''He gets me on me back" said Freddie.
specs off and they busts. and he Amt got no
more, and / ducks out from under, and he
calls to her. and she wants to go to him
and won't let her.
Where was this ?"
Dunno"
Ear from here?"
Dunno"
.But you must know in q general way?"
Freddie shook his head.
Lock at me, Freddie! You do now.
But the Ferret's spine stiffened. And he
met ToTnmy's eyes without finching. He,
too had his standards of right and wrong.
Let the evil doer suffer!
II knows, he said, but don't tell
"But, good God, Freddie blind man
in this Wilderness
Can go to He'll" said Freddie.
Now, look here"--
what are you two talking about?"
The and the boy wheeled toward
Ce1estia suddenly and with as much
wonder as il she had pointed gun and
shot at them. She had spoken in her natural
voice. She spoke again.
"Ste1liter?'
Eyes, Celeste: we were speaking Of him.
He is in avn, trouble"
'.He was in awful trouble" her voice was
cweet and gentle, but very serious. Hes
been trying to get me to help him, but Fred
die wouldn't let me go, and he couldn't
make me understand Just where he was. The !
fire was after him. He couldn't see. and he
got hurt trying to get away from the fire.
But 1t chased him and chased him, until he
,ell into a lake asc crowned"