Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1917-01-27

"tt'e tnS Lacy nat PROMISED Mo 1oOo
for Rlskine Me Lolfe for HerI"
burst into the back entrance and was
staggering up the smoke-f1lled stair
way.
He reached the laboratory door and
set his shoulder against it. Once
twice-at the third lunge the solid mass
splintered at the hinges and half
opened. A cloud of smoke shot through
with fiery streaks, rushed out Through
1t Ravengar dimly made out the con-
scious form Of Leontine.
He reached across the ruins of the
door, picked her up in his arms, and
staggered down the stairway again.
The flames, released by the fall Of the
door, and blown inward by the draft
from the open window, seemed all
about him. They leaped at him like
living things, but he went on, shield
her as II she were no heavier than q
child.
AS the fire engines dashed up to
the front entrance and began playing
upon the flames, which threatened the
entire building Ravengar made his
way out at the back, where the crowd
was smaller. He rushed with his
precious burden across the street and
entered the yard of the German wOm-
an whose son had found the pellets.
"Give me some water" he said
breathlessly.
Mr. Patrick Mcclure came bustling
up, but Ravengar, not knowing him,
impatiently ordered him away.
"Sure, it's the lady that promised me
foive hundred dollars for risklng me
loife for her." he said.
The water was brought, and per-
haps at the touch Of this on her fore
head, perhaps at Pat McGuire's voice,
Leontine opened her eyes and smiled.
Then she stretched out her arms to
Ravengar. And he, overcome with hap
piness, dropped on his knees beside
her
She remembered; and there was no
need Of further explanations. Their
happiness was too intense. Each had
believed the other dead.
Dearest" whispered LeOntine into
his ear.
Sebastian took the cloak and the |
pellets" said Ravengar in a low voice.
"And he has the journal, too" an !
swered Leontine But what does that
matter when / have you"
"You love me2" asked Ravengar in
credulously.
Eyes" she acknowledged. do you
remember long ago when you sought
my love, and I told you that 1t was
Jerry's, my dead lovers of years gone
by1 Since then / have come to feel
that in some way can love you with
out profaning that love / promised
Jerry to keep for him, dead or alive,
forever. l have come to feel that 1t
is what Jerry himself would wish,
could he but know-that / should love
come to me from him in his grave, or
rather In his heaven, telling me that
In returning your love ! do no wrong"
She paused and looked at him earn
estly, then laid her hand upon his
arm.
"Ravengar," she said, "once, when I
asked you your name, you told me that
you were my shielding shadow. Now
tell me who you are, Ravengar, and
why you shield me So"
She hung breathlessly upon his an-
swer. Ravengar turned to her.
"Leontine," he said, II will tell you
at last who ] am. / am"
Suddenly he ceased speaking. He
was looking toward window Of a
tenement house across the street. At
the window he had seen Sebastian,
staring at him, the invisible cloak con-
sealing all but the face. Sebastian
asd seen them.
Leontine, watching him with won
der, was surprised when Ravengar
suddenly released her and dashed at
'ull speed across the street.
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