The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-12-28

The headlights of a car flashed.
Calloway'sl A tail-light swept away
like meteor pursued by furies. Pru-
| dence stumbled and slid and ran along
the road made smooth and treacher-
| GUS by the passing Of many trucks
She couldn't go back for her skis.
"Waitl Waitl What's burning?"
Milly Goech shrieked.
Prudence stopped long enough to
call over her shoulder:
aThe barn-where-the crew-is liv-
ing-I think y
Shouts ahead. Crashes. Timbers
falling? A curious sky. Red. Sullen.
| Shot with flame. The light had put
| out the stars. She coughed and tried
to get her breath. Ahead the cattle
barn doomed darkly against the sim
lister glow. Black figures like huge
panicky ants dashed in and out of the
| glow. Men were dragging hose from
| the fire engine to the pond. Some
| one shouted:
SOAK those pines! If the woods
start to burn"
That was the reason Of the frightful
| tension. Even with snow on the
| ground the whole forest might go up
| like finder.
| Runabouts, gigs, automobiles Of all
descriptions crowded the spaces I'M
der the trees. Men worked, ran,
hauled. No mistaking Calloway's mas
| sive figure. Reckless of self and safety
he fought the blaze. There was David
| steadying a grooming man. He was
safe, thank God!
Clangl Clang! Clang! The emer-
gency gong of an ambulancel 1t must
have come from the hospital in the
| next town.
| Tree by tree Prudence crept for
ward. The heat was scorching. Not
hotter for her than for those men
working near that red inferno. She
| put her arm across her face to protect
it from sparks and hot cinders.
| Rodney in that inferno. Prudence
shut her eyes tight to get her grip.
Then she looked. The cry of horror
she swallowed nauseated her. Don't
dare go back on mel" she threatened
her dizzy brain.
Afilly Gooch here! How had she
come? Milly, her short black hair
blowing in the breeze which was fam
ming the fire, was clinging to Rodney's
sleeve. He was trying to shake her
] off. He had succeeded. Why, why
did he go toward that burning shell
again? Jim was pulling him back.
He couldn't stop the fire. He
Roars of warning. A crash? The
roof! A red-hot girder shot into the
air. A woman screamed. It spiraled
down. Down where Rodney Gerard
| and Jim were standing
Terror paralyzed Prudence. Rodney
hurt? She couldn't bear it! Hurt be-
fore she could tell him she was sorry.
Men were crowding round something.
What? Why was she standing here
when
She ran forward and caromed into
someone running, with a force which
swept her from her feet. An arm
caught her.
"Prue! Prue! You shouldn't be
here -
She brushed her hand across dazed
| eyes. Was this really Jim Armstrong?
He was safe Was Rodney lying there
hurt-perhaps?
rs 1t really-you? l saw you and
Rodney-I thought the girder hit"
She seized the lapels of his coat to
steady herself. "Is-is-he-"
Armstrong gently but firmly loosened
| her tense fingers. His lips were white
as he assured with exaggerated cheeri-
ness:
"Rod is safe, Prue. Listen! Don't
stare like that He's all right. It's
| Galloway who is hurt. He rushed In
and took the girder which would have
wiped Rod out"
She felt herself going, flung an arm
| around Jim's neck. She must hold
tight to something. Was that Rodney
looking at her from behind Jim? His
eyes were terrible. Curious, the world
was 50 black. the sky was-so red
When she came out Of the smother
/ Ing gloom, she was SitLluS Ou coat
against a tree. Who was shrieking
and sobbing7 It couldn't be herself
having Mysteries, could It? She would
die Of shame If it were. David was
rubbing her hands A man in a white
jacket was holding something to her
mouth. Jim Armstrong was looking
down at her. How queer his eyes
we're! Where was Rodney Gerard?
She said unsteadily:
Don't tell me tainted when
might have been--of use."
The ambulance surgeons grin slashed
his sooty face. use! You did your
good deed for the day, all right. For
the love Of Mike, why doesn't someone
stop that circus riders yelling!
guess If anyone was entitled to pass
out cold you were. Drink this like
good girl"
CHAPTER KIT