Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-18
CHAPTER xXuI.-Continued.

Then. wild and clear there rose the
cry of fire. whistle screamed.
Bells began to ring. They were COM
coming! oh, if she GO could make them
hear. before the door gave way. 1t
was very thick and wonderful. that
wood. 1t did not break quickly with
their blows. She could hear them
tearing with their hands and trying
to make a hole large enough for
Schwarz to get through, for the
American had declined to go. The
could not see into the room for the
fire was spreading toward the door.
1t had caught the corner of the
wooden mantel, and one Of the boxes
was blazing. The carpet gave an
ugly smudge that was sitting, and
the smoke was pouring thick through
the room. Up in the window where
hottest of all. She reached for the
sheet and wrapped it round her and
put the wet handkerchief over her
nose and mouth. AS soon as they
broke that door through she meant
to swing out on the narrow window
sill and be ready to drop if schwarz
laid finger on her. Better the
pay ement below than his rescue!
The engines were Gathering now:
|
and gong, with a crowd following.
She was alone no longer. They were
all come, and were seeing her. and
God and she stood up here together.
They were putting up a ladder now
over the blazing. tottering way. They
had seen her and were going to try to
save her, but it was too late: the fire
was almost upon her. She could feel
its hot breath on her cheek. 1t had
| OF IF aop hof hor
Schwarz. Its kind, protecting arms
were reaching out and crisping up
the floor between them, 50 that ne
could not walk to her. Kind, safe
fire! It would all be over in a min
ute now. She could hear the voices
in the hall hushed and fearful
Quick! over the back fence! LIE,
heavily down the stairs. Her soul
laughed aloud in her triumph. The
fire had conquered. Her signal had
saved the day. What pity the
Schwarzes could not be caught, too
If only she could make the people
hear above the din! Just one minute
more to tell them! She thought ot
he, too, was facing death. But HI
would not do his work half way. Sht
must finish! She must tell their
somehow before her captors go
away!
She leaned far out over the window
sill, pulling the handkerchief ava,
from her face. swaying dizzily, ant
called In a clear voice that somehow
made itself heard above the engines
and the noise and the kissing of th'
water as it fell among the flames:
"They are getting away! The bacl
fence! Quick!" she called. and &c,
and catch them! They are all spies
The back fence! They have gone"
Some of her words must hav,
reached the people below for mel
dashed around to the alleyway. Th'
flames and smoke we're binding he
now. She did not see the car tina
came rushing up behind the fire en-
gines. nor the young soldier VIII,
sprans past the guard in spite of dc
: tanning hands and dashed up the lad
der toward her. She had closed he
eyes and pulled the wet handkerchie
= over her face again. She was sicl
= with the heat and the smoke. /
wouldn't be long now, no, it wouldn'
be long! Was she falling? Or wer,
those arms that held her? Stron,
arms! Gods arms! Yes, that was it
Underneath are the everlasting
arms!'. She had known those words
many years. but, oh, it was good t
feel what it meant now. And thi:
must be dying!