Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-02-22
at the stock yards In the city bid In
Snowfoot and drove him off,"

duu QIOfc ulLl Oh.
Paul was speedy activity persona
fed. He hurried to a neighbor and ar
ranged for a horse until his return.
"Ill get back Snowfoot IL 1 have to
go to jail for 1t |" he declared, and was
off on the trail of the man with the
market-bound string of horses.
1t was the next morning when Paul
reached the city and located the horse
market at the stock yards, close on the
heels of Snowfoot. He found where
his favorite and some twenty other
horses were housed in a pen, to be sold
at auction the mex morning.
Paul had but one idea, to make away
with Snowfoot. He would wait till
dark. Then his old friend should find
freedom. Paul put in the time wander
Ing about the great yards to finally
come to a great building arched rel
with glass and just being completed.
1t was a vast auditorium, built to house
farmers conventions and stock shows.
At one-end was a stage. Nothing
was yet set in place, and pulleyed
lOPCS III PilLlO1 dClC OQSpClQCd
from the roof ~rafters, from which
workmen were suspended putting in
chandeliers and otherwise perfecting
the lighting system.
About the middle of the building
stood q well-dressed, important-looking
man, holding his little four-year-old
daughter by the hand. He was giving
orders as to certain construction de-
tails to the contractors, and, Paul
learned casually, was head officer of
the cattle exchange, a a of enormous
wealth who made a hobby of improved
live stock.
His FESTIVE little daughter, a bright,
lovely little midget, had taken adj
vantage of her fathers pr%eoccupation
and had run about fifty feet to the
other end of the building. She had
clambered up the steps leading to the
stage and was running up and down
the platform, pleased at the hollow
echo of her pattering feet on the
smooth boards.
Hi, there!" suddenly rang out a
frightful yell aloft. Within a flashing
second of time the scene was one of in
describable confusion. The fusing lamp
of one of the overhead workers had ex-
ploded. The dripping contents had
scattered everywhere; up aloft the
whole inside framework was ablaze.
The burning liquid, dropping to the
floor, had set a great heap of shavings,
block and bench frames on fire.
Paul CHANGED to be neal the stage.
AS he saw an impossible barrier of fire
shut off the entire front end of the
building he heard the vain shouts of
the agonized father, beaten back by
the curtain Of fire, pleading for the
rescue of his darling child. The brick
wall behind the stage was solid. The
fire was advancing to lick up the new
framework. Paul ran to the child.
little one," he said hurriedly, "for
papa's sake will you do just as 1 say
If l set you ON my back with your arms
around my neck, will you hold fast
ffast?"
"But won't l burn?"
"You won't burn, darling. You shall
be safe with your father in a jiffy, If
you Just hold on and never let 60"
1t was well that the old skill of his
one-time trapeze experience held Paul
Dacre in good stead now. The little
one kept her word like a Trojan. She
did not even whisper as, half way up
n of the long ropes, a sweep of Gin.
ders came against them like a blast.
Then they were at the rafters. Selling
q board, Paul smashed out a broad
sash. Now they were on the roof. He
drew up the eighty-odd feet of rope,
inch by inch descended down the slant,
over the edge, and the gathered crowd
cheered and grouped about the hero
rescuer and the little child.
Paul Dacre did not have to steal
Snowfoot to get him back home. He
could have redeemed the animal had ii
taken thousands, for the father of the
little Evaline could not sufficiently
show his gratitude. He offered Paul
the charge of q stock farm at a high
salary. He even came down to the
Brayton home to visit him. And Alma
began to see the nobleness of charac-
ter in the ex-circus rider. And little
Evaline was showing Alma how she
had chung to Paul the day of the fire,
and putting out her hands drew the
face of Alma close to her own.
And as it nestled there, the chubby
hand drew that of Paul in loving con
tact, and Alma's eyes met those of
Paul, and the revelation of perfect love
was complete.