The Keota news., 1920-10-01
IN THE
TWILIGHT

By GEORGE E. COBB

perilOus position. that In which Wyhe
Burton found himself. and after us
climax the details of the peculiar en-
vironmcnt Impressed themselves upon
his mind during all his life.
He lad entered an upper floor OF
large mercantile building and was
busy adjusting disputed account
with the cashier OF a wholesale mil.
lInery firm. when there rang out the
echoIng omInous cry Of:
"Fire!"
In nm instant all was alarm ana con-
fusion. Shouts above and below In.
creased and dense smoke filed the
hui ding. There was rush for the
windows and fire escapes and Burton
was hustled about In the vortex Of
madly crowding men and shrlckinR
women and girls. lie ran into hall
way tn find that the elevators Ind
stopped running. the stairway Int
passablc.
lie noted the figure Of a woman
rushing back from the suffocntine
smoke into large room. He followed
her. thinking she might bc more In.
milinr with the structure than him.
self. He saw her lift up the sash Of
II broad window looking out upon the
street. She strained her gaze below
md then sprnng to the sill. amid her
terror designing a leap TO destruction.
"Don't think Of TINT !" cried Burton.
reaching her side md drawing her
hack from the abyss she 50 desperate
~ courtetl. "Scc! Escape IL impossible
that way"
Wylic Burton thrilled. She wns a
young woman past twenty with deli.
cate refined fnrc presenting rather
Soulfulness than nero beauty. II wns
the helpless appealing expression Of
her eyes that somehow lifted his
thoughts beyond fcnr or danger. She
spoke not. amid perfect trustfulness.
Her eyes quivcrcd. dropped. and. aS II
reading in his own power. strength.
sacrifice. VIII. n gentle sigh she drew
closer to his protecting arm and buried
her face Mt his breast like n frightened
child shutting out some drcad.inspir.
ing spectacle.
A sense OF power. patience. hcroism
caused wylic Burton Ia feel that the
charge of precious human life was
his. He glanced pnst the window sill.
The street below was chaos of fire
engines. scaling ladders and a surging
mass of humanity. lie freed ono hand
md waved II. shouting wildly. There
camc responsive call and he knew
that he was seen. Then he pityingly.
almost tenderly. gnzcd down Mt the
fair hcnd pillowed 80 trnstingiy on his
breast. The girls hands claspcd his
shoulders, but the terror had died ont
and she wns calm. resigned. In his
compnnionship appearing to feel that
he wns her refuge of hope and sccur.
ity. A great breath Of relief swept
Burton's lips ms the top Of n intitlcr
from below shattered n grent pane Of
glass.
'They are coming to our rescue"
he spoke soothingly. Fearless eyes
met his own. her lips Quivcrel ns II
eager to frame some message of graft.
tude. then they grnzch his check. only
once. softly. tendcriy, and 1t seemed
to him he would brave amy peril to
continue to hold that cling.ng form
In his embrace.
A helmeted firemnn appeared and
lifted the girl through the sayhless
aperture. He instructed Burton to
wait until they were near the ground
and then make his own descent. There
wns hut one thought In the mind Of
the latter-of the being ne hnd met.
loved rs in a hypnotic fash. and pnrt.
Ell from all within few moments,