Page:Ralph on the Railroad.djvu/914

90 Ralph joined him as he ran down the alley on a mad run. The great sweat stood out on the bloodless face of the agonized husband and father in knobs, his eyes wore a frenzied expression of suspense and alarm.

"Save them! save them!" he shouted, as Ralph kept pace with him.

"Don't get excited, Mr. Fogg," spoke Ralph reassuringly. "We shall be in time."

"But she cannot move—she is in the bedroom directly over the kitchen. Oh, this is a judgment for all my wickedness!"

"Be a man," encouraged Ralph. "Here we are—let me help you."

"Up the back stairs!" cried Fogg. "They are nearest to her."

"No, no—you can never get up them," declared Ralph.

The side door of the house was open, showing a pair of stairs, but they were all ablaze. Smoke and sparks poured up this natural funnel fiercely. Ralph caught at the arm of his companion and tried to detain him, but Fogg broke away from his grasp.

Ralph saw him disappear beyond the blazing barrier. He was about to run around to the front of the house, when he heard a hoarse cry. Driven back by the overpowering smoke, Fogg had