Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/26



"Farewell! I will omit no opportunity That may convey my greetings, love, to tliee; '*

and the answer of Juliet,

"O, think'st thou, we shall ever meet again? "

was even trembling on her lips when, suddenly, to the consternation and horror of all, there arose the terrific cry of,

"Fire! fir 3! the theatre is on fire!"

Heavens! what a scene ensued and what feelings came over me! Never shall I forget either. In a moment all was frightful confusion, as each sought to gain the street. Startling shrieks, appalling yells, and hideous groans, resounded on all sides. Hundreds, I might say thou sands, rushed pell-mell to the doors, to es cape the devouring element, which, already lapping the combustible scenery, was seen shooting upward its lurid tongues, and heard hissing, and snapping, and crackling, in its rapid progress over the devoted build ing. I grasped the arm of my friend, and cried : " Rush, Charley, for your life!" and sprang forward.

The next moment I felt myself seized from behind, and the voice of my friend Khouted in my ear :

"Hold! Frank we must save her!"

"Whom?"

"Yonder! See! they have crowded her back! and now great God! she has fallen over into the pit!"

I looked in the direction indicated by the finger of Huntly, and beheld a beau tiful female, vainly struggling to reach the door. As he spoke, a sudden rush for ward crowded her back to the railing which divided her from the excited mass of beings in the pit. One moment she balanced on the railing, and the next, with a cry of terror, fell upon the heads of those below. At any other time she would ,have been cared for; but now all were wild with terror, and thought only of themselves; and instead of seeking to aid, they allowed her to sink under their feet. Save my friend and I, no one seemed to heed her. With a cry of horror, I leaped forward to rescue her from a horri ble death But my friend was already before me. One bound, and Charles Huntly was among the wedged mass be low, and exerting all his strength to reach the prostrate form of the lady, who was

now being trod to death under the feet of the rushing multitude. I would have sprang over the railing myself, but I saw it would be useless; one was better than two; and I paused and watched the pro gress of my friend with an anxiety better imagined than described.

So dense was the mass, so closely wedged, that for a time all the efforts of Huntly to reach the unfortunate creature were vain; while the glaring light, and the roar of the flames, as they eagerly leaped forward to the dome over headj rendered the scene truly dismal and awful.

At length the crowd grew thinner, as it poured through the open doorway; and renewing his exertions, my friend shortly gained the side of the unknown. He stooped down to raise her, and I trembled for his safety, for I saw numbers fairly pressing upon him. "With a Herculean effort, that must Lave 'exhausted all his animal powers, I beheld him rise to his feet, with the fair unknown seemingly lifeless in his arms. I uttered a cry of joy, as he staggered toward me with his burden.

"Quick! quick! this way give her here!" I shouted, bending over the rail ing and extending my arms toward her.

Huntly staggered forward, and the next moment my grasp was upon her, and she was in my arms.

"Fly! Frank fast for God's sake! and give her air!" gasped Huntly, in a faint, exhausted tone.

I cast one glance at her pale, lovely fea tures, on which were a few spots of blood, from a contusion on the head, and then darted over the benches to the door, bid ding my friend follow, but looking not behind.

The boxes were now empty, and the doors but slightly blocked, so that I had little difficulty, to use a stage expression, in making my exit. The street, however, was crowded with those just escaped, and others attracted hither by the alarm of tire. All was excitement and dismay. Parents were rushing to and fro, seeking their children children their parents; wives and maidens their husbands and lovers, and vice versa.

I pushed my way through the crowd as best I could, with my lovely burden in my arms, and at length reached th