Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/27

 e opposiU

ado-walk, where I paused to rest, and, if possible, to restore the fair one to con sciousness. As I began chafing her tem ples, I heard a female voice shriek, in agonizing tones :

"Good God! will no one save my child - my only child my daughter the idol of my heart!"

I looked around me, and beheld, by the light of the burning building,? middle-aged female, richly clad, only a iV-w paces distant, violently wringing 'her hands, in mental agony, and looking imploringly, first, at the already trembling structure, and then into trie faces of the bystanders, as if in search of an answer to her heart rending appeal.

"Oh God! oh God! save her! save her! she must not, shall not die! I will give a thousand dollars for her life!"

A thought struck me. Perhaps she was die mother of the senseless being I held; and instantly I raised her in my arms and darted forward.

"Is this your daughter, lady?" I cried, as I came up.

She looked wildly about her one pain ful glance and then, with a shriek, sprang to and threw her arms around the fair creature's neck, and burst into tears.

"God! I thank thee!" were the, first articulate words from her now quivering lips. "I have got my daughter again!" and snatching her from my arms, she pressed kiss after kiss upon her lips, with all the wild, passionate fondness of a mo ther. "Ha! is she dead ?" she cried, with a look of horror, appealing to me.

"Only fainted," was my reply, made at a venture, for I dared not confirm my own fears.

"Yes! yes! God be praised! I see! I see! She is returning to consciousness. But this blood this wound ?"

"A slight fall," I answered.

"And you, sir you? I promised a thou sand dollars. Here is part, and my card

Call to-night, or to-morrow, at (I

failed to catch the name) and the balance shall be yours."

"I did" not save her for money; in fact, I did not save her at all it was my friend," I replied, taking from her extended hand the card, but refusing the purse which it ilso held.

"And where is your friend ?" she asked, breathlessly.

Heavens! what a shock her words pro duced! Where was my friend, indeed! 1 looked hurriedly around, among the swny- ing multitude, but saw nothing of Charles Huntly. A terrible thought seized me. Perhaps he had -not made his escape! I cast one glance at the burning pile, and, to my consignation, beheld the flames ai ready bursting from the roof. Had he es- 'caped? and if not if not! great God, what a thought! I waited to say, to hear no more, but turned and rushed into the swaying mass, shouting the name of my schoolmate. No answer was returned. I shouted louder but still heard not his well known voice. Great God! what feelings came over me! pen cannot describe them. Onward, onward, still I pressed onward, and shouted at every step but, alas! no answer.

At length I reached the door of the the atre leading to the boxes. It was filled with smoke, passing outward, through which I could catch glimpses of the de vouring flames, and hear their awful roar. One pause an instant only and with his name upon my lips, I darted into the shak ing building. I gained the boxes, and found the heat of the flames almost un bearable. They had already reached the railing nearest the stage, and overhead had eaten through the roof, from which burning cinders were dropping upon the blazing benches in the pit. The smoke was stifling, and I could scarcely breathe. I looked down where I had last seen my friend, and beheld a dark object on the floor. I called Huntly by name, in a voice of agony. -Meto ought the object stirred, and I fancied I heard a groan. The next moment I was in the pit, bending over the object. Gracious God! it was Huntly! From some cause he had not been able to escape. Instantly I raised him in my arms, and, with a tremendous effort, threw him into the boxes. I attempted to follow, but failed The smoke was proving too much, for me, and the heat becoming intense. Again I tried, with like success, fbegau to feel dizy, and faint, and thought I was perishing. I sank back and looked up at the roof. I could see it trembling. . A few moments, and it would be upon me. God of Heaven!