y he's gone inside,' said a voice.

'Madness and folly! what can he save?' said another. 'Good God, find
him! Help here!'

A wild rush was made at the door, which had fallen to, and in defiance
of the scorching flame that burst forth, three men forced themselves
through it. Immediately inside the threshold they found the object of
their search lying senseless on the floor of the passage.

To bring him out and lay him on a bank was the work of an instant; a
basin of cold water was dashed in his face, and he began to recover
consciousness, but very slowly. He had been saved by a miracle. No
sooner were his preservers out of the building than the window-frames
lit up as if by magic with deep and waving fringes of flames.
Simultaneously, the joints of the boards forming the front door started
into view as glowing bars of fire: a star of red light penetrated the
centre, gradually increasing in size till the flames rushed forth.

Then the staircase fell.

'Everybody is out safe,' said a voice.

'Yes, thank God!' said three or four others.

'O, we forgot that a stranger came! I think she is safe.'

'I hope she is,' said the weak voice of some one coming up from behind.
It was the chambermaid's.

Springrove at that moment aroused himself; he staggered to his feet, and
threw his hands up wildly.

'Everybody, no! no! The lady who came by train, Mrs. Manston! I tried to
fetch her out, but I fell.'

An exclamation of horror burst from the crowd; it was caused partly
by this disclosure of Springrove, more by the added perception which
followed his words.

An average interval of about three minutes had elapsed between one
intensely fierce gust of wind and the next, and now another poured over
them; the roof swayed, and a moment afterwards fell in with a crash,
pulling the gable after it, and thrusting outwards the front wall of
wood-work, which fell into the road with a rumbling echo; a cloud of
black dust, myriads of sparks, and a great outburst of flame followed
the uproar of the fall.

'Who is she? what is she?' burst from every lip again and again,
incoherently, and without leaving a sufficient pause for a reply, had a
reply been volunteered.

The autumn wind, tameless, and swift, and proud, still blew upon the
dying old house, which was constructed so entirely of combustible
materials that it burnt almost as fiercely as a corn-rick. The heat
in the road increased, and now for an instant at the height of the
co