The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-06-26

eae woods, directly toward the
 names and Peter. even more Ager
 'hah he' ran ahead, peering tonight
 and left for signs of the cabinIwhich
 now could not be far away The roar and the cracking were now brninous- near and the flames seezhed to be all about them, while Re treetops
 seemed to be filled with flaming brands. Sparks and livs cinders fell upon them and the hotlbreath of the wind blistered them with its heat.
 Suddenly the pantiHg Shad grasped Peter sharply by the Arm with his un- injured hand
 The cabin! My God! It's burn ing now-QuickI mister-or-'
 Peter spranS forward through the flaming leaves ,He seemed to be in the very midst Of the flames. Blinded and sufocated' by the smoke. Peter plunged forward and reached the cabin. One end and side of it was blazing furiously, but he dashed around the lower end of it, seeking the door. It was open and already af1ame. The hut was empty. He ran out again, blinded by the smoke and glare. Was it a fools errand? And had he and Shad only entrapped themselves to no good end? To the right of him the fire roared, and with hls back to the glare his eyes eagerly sought the shadows down the wind.
 
 and pallid tree trunks, spectral bushes qulVerins before the advancing de- mon, some of them already alight. Safety lay only in this one direction- for Beth, if she had been there, for Shad- Peter suddenly remember ed the 1umberman and turned to his left to look, when suddenly he espied a figure moving away from him and ran after it, calling. He realized inn mediate1y that his hoarse cry was lost in the inferno of the flames but he ran more rapidly, beating out the embers which had ignited the sleeve of his shirt.
 He saw the figure clearly now, but it was not Shad-for Shad had been in his shirt sleeves. This figure wore a coat and stumbled away half bent, | one arm over its head, pushing some thing-some one ahead of it. Peter drew his revolver, leaping the burning leaves and calling aloud.
 He saw the figures ahead of him | halt and turn as they heard his voice and the glare behind him shone full | upon them, the face of the man agape with inf1amed surprise-Hawk Ken 1 nedy's, and the other. wide-eyed as at | the sight of an apparition-Beth's.
 Only 30 paces separated them when l Hawk Kennedy fired. Peter heard l Beth's scream and saw her strike at | the mans arm. but furiously he | swung her in front of him and fired | again But her struggles and the un- certain light sent the bullet wide Pe- ter did not dare to shoot, for the man was using her as shield, but he did | not hesitate and ran in, trusting to luck and Beth's struggles. One bullet ] struck him somewhere as Beth seem ed to stumble and crumple to the ground, but he went on unspent and catapjulted into his man with a rush hat the smo1dering foliage. Blinded by the smoke. but mad with fury, Peter struck and cluttched, and Hawks last shot went upward, for Peter wrench ed his wrist and then struck him full on the head with his own weapon.
 He felt the man relax and slip down into the dust and smoke. where |. he lay motionless
 Peter drew himself up to arms length, wondering at the feebIeness of his muscles and the trouble with his brea thing.
 "Beth!" he gasped, franticaI1y searching the smoking ground around her..
 ''Peter-thank God," Her voice was just at his ear and an arm went around his neck
 Beth! Beth. You've got to get [ out of this.''
 Come, Peter-there's time-
 Just then branch crashed down just beside them, ,showering them with sparks. n Come, Peter-come!' she cried. { He struggled up with an effort. one hand clutching at his breast Go. Beth." he gasped. For Gods sake. go!t" . Beth stared at him for one short ( terribly moment she realized what I had happened to him. z '-Peteri YOu-yOure-'' TT think I'm hurt-a HttIe-it isn't much 2 He swayed. but she caught him and ( put arm around one shoulder clutching it with the other hand i Lean on me-" she muttered. I'm Is strong enouSh- ''No-go, Beth-'' I But she put her strength under him ( and began walking while he staggered a on beside her Sparks and fiery | brands rained down upon them, blis- [ teriny and burning, the hot breath of | the furnace drove their breath poison S ed back into their lungs and scored I their bodies. but still they remained i | upright-and by a miracle still moved b on.
 ITO the left" Peter heard dimIy. F "the swa mp is close by"
 He obeyed her. more dead than c alive. and by sheer effort of will kept his feet moving, paced to hers. He il seemed to be walking as though in a t red fever, on leaden feet, carrying a body that had no weight or substance. L But after while he feet too seem ed to grow lighter and he felt himself h falling through space. But her arms Ii were still about him. E "Peter,'' he heard her voice in h gony. "only few yards further-'' Il Wfth < last remaining effort he k struggled and then. his feet stumbling h forward and sank into some a thing soft, something deliciousIy cool e and soothing. He felt a hand tuGsing & at him, but he had no pain now, no D the perfect happiness of a body that, seeking rest has found B It. Il After a while he revived al the sound of a voice at his ear. Water u