The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 67: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. __ 63 He would have marveled at her composure, had he not re- joiced in it. She was no weight for his strong arms, but he trembled as he took the precious burdenup. | Out again, swiftly but carefully. The devouring flames had crept up after him, and were even now thr usting their forked tongues throu ch the boards of the corridor. The whole of the lower part of the house was a blazing mass; the stairs had fallen in. The roof was the only reluge. Up, up he climbed. Instinct seemed to tell him where the roof ladder was. Once on the roof he looked about him. ; The flames were nowhere visible. If he could but reach the edge! He knew the main bila. ing was flanked by wings with lower roofs. They might not yet have caught fire. He dragged the ladder after him. He pulled aside the blanket from Grace’s face to give her fresh air. * Courage, darling! We may yet be safe. You trust me?” She smiled. ‘<In life or death.” Clinton groaned. eos ; Must such love as this, with all its future of bliss, be ost ! Grace clasped tightly to. his breast by one strong arm, the ladder lightly carried in the other hand, Clinton sped to- _ ward the right wing, ‘“Oh, Heaven !” Almost under his feet the roof collapsed, fell in, and was ingulfed in the yawning abyss of flame. Back he turned. Ah! would he reach the other end in safety? Was that a red tongue of flame? ‘* Heaven!” he moaned. ‘I cannot die now. Iwill not!” Almost there! Crash! Fifty feet of leaping flame between him and the towering wall pane | Gomicbooks (afoy