Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/28

 what a death 1

At this moment of despair, I felt a cur rent of air rushing in upon me. It revived me, and I made a third attempt to clamber into the boxes. Joy! joy! I succeed ed. I caught hold of Charles, and, with my remaining strength, dragged him to the door, and into the open air. Some five or six persons now rushed to my assistance, and in another moment I had gained the opposite side of the street. As I did so, I heard a thundering noise behind me. I turned quickly round, and no pen can describe my feelings when I understood the cause. The roof of the building had fallen in, and bright sheets of flame, and burning cinders, were shooting upward on the dark pall of the arching heavens. I had just escaped with my life; and if ever I uttered a prayer of sincere gratitude to the Author of my being, it was then.

As I stood gazing upon the remainder of the structure, I saw the walls totter; and ere I had time to move from the spot, the front wall went down, with a thundering sound, and lay a pile of smoking ruins a part falling inward, and a part outward. The heat was now excessive; and as I sought to bear my unconscious friend fur ther from the fire, the side walls plunged inward, leaving only the back wall stand ing. This now seemed to waver totter and then, great Heaven! it fell outward, upon an adjoining building, crushing in the roof, and, as I afterward learned, killing one of its inmates almost instantly.

By this time Huntly had begun to re vive, and in a few minutes he was perfect ly restored the smoke and his exertions, only, having overcome him. He stared around him for a monient in wonder, and then seemed to comprehend all. Grasp ing my hand, with a nervous pressure, he exclaimed :

"Thank God! we are all saved; though I thought all was over with me. I see, j dear Frank, I owe all to you. But the lady, Frank 1 "

"I left her safe in the arms of her mo ther. "

"Tlfonk God, again, for that! But who is she? and where does she live?" and I felt the grasp of Charles tighten upon my arm.

"I know neither; but I have her mo ther's card here. "

"Quick! quick! give it me!" cried Huntly, with an impatience that surprised me.

But I was mistaken; I had not the card, it was lost; and with it, all clue to the per sons in question. With an expression of deep and painful disappointment, my friend turned away.

"But AVC may yet find thorn, " I said; "they were here a few minute since "

"Where, Frank where?"

"Yonder; " and I hastened to the spot where I had left them; but to the dis appointment of myself, as well as Huntly they were gone.

I made inquiries of all around, but no body had seen, or knew any thing of them.

"Always my luck, Frank," said Huntly, with a siyh; and jumping into a hack, we were shortly set down at the steps of the Astor.

That night I dreamed of fire of res cuing Lilian Huntly from the flames.

Early the next morning we were onc more upon our long journey swifl.ly speeding toward the far, Far West

CHAPTER IV.

THE OHIO THE HIBERNIAN ARRIVAL 19

CINCINNATI A FIRE A FIGHT NARROW

ESCAPE THE JOURNEY RESUMED.

IT was a calm, beautiful day, that found myself and friend on the hurricane deck of a magnificent steamer, and gliding swiftly down the calm, silvery waters of that winding, lovely, and romantic stream, the Ohio, or La Belle Riviere. We had passed through Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Pittsburgh, without stopping, and vver now speeding over the waters of this rivei on our journey to the Far West Nevei had I seen a stream before so fascinating in all its attractions. On my right was the State of Ohio on my left, those of Virginia and Kentucky; and en either hand, beautiful villages, farms, and plea sure grounds, with tree, blade, and flowei in the delightful bloom of a pleasant spring. Here was a hill clotlied with trees, Teach ing even to, overhanging, and mirroring their green forms in the glassy tide; ther a smiling plain, stretching gracefu