The firemen were brave, and worked wonders. They flung up ladders in
the face of the flames. They risked their lives every step they took,
and brought out one after another, working steadily, grimly, rapidly.
And none were braver among them all than Mark Carter and the minister,
each working on the very top of a tall treacherous ladder, in the face
of constant danger, bringing out one after another until the last.
The next house to the mill had caved in, and Mark had come down just in
time with an old woman who was bedridden and had been forgotten. The
workers had paused an instant as the horrible sound of falling timbers
rent through the other noises of that horrible night, and then hurried
to increase their vigilance. There were people in the top floor of the
next house and it would go next. Then the word went forth that no more
must go up the ladder. The roof was about to fall in, and a young
mother shrieked, "My baby! My baby! She's up in the bed. I thought Bob
had her, but he couldn't get up!" Mark Carter looked at her sharply.
"Which window?" he asked, and was up the ladder before detaining hands
could reach him, and Billy, sliding under the arm of the Fire Chief,
swung up just behind.
The crowd watched breathless as they mounted round after round, Aunt
Saxon standing with a shawl over her head and gasping aloud, "Oh
Willie!" and then standing still in fear and pride, the tears
streaming down a smiling countenance on which the red glare of the fire
shone. The ladder was set crazily against the flaming window and swayed
with their weight. Every step seemed as if it would topple the
building, yet the ladder held, and Mark sprang through the blazing
window out of sight. It seemed an eternity till he returned bringing a
tiny bundle with him, and handing it out to Billy waiting below.
The boy received as it had been a holy honor, that little bundle of
humanity handed through the fire, and came solemnly down amid the
breathless gaze of the crowd, but when they looked to the top again
Mark had disappeared!
A murmur of horror went round the throng, for the flames were licking
and snapping, and the roof seemed to vibrate and quiver like a human
thing. Then before any one could stop him or even saw what he was going
to do, the minister sprang forward up the ladder like a cat, two rounds
at a time,--three! He dashed through the fire and was gone!