-looking inhabitant of Innsbruck,
spectacled and somewhat sallow, but with a face which was full of
intellect. He learned that, although no one could speak positively as
to the origin of the fire, it was more than probable that it had been no
mere accident. The very Sunday before, at exactly the same hour, a large
factory had been entirely destroyed by fire, and it needed no very
deep thinker to discover that a Sunday evening, when every one would
be out-of-doors keeping holiday, and the fire brigade men scattered and
hard to summon, was the very time for incendiarism. They learned much
from the shrewd citizen about the general condition of the place, which
seemed outwardly too peaceful and prosperous for such wild and senseless
outbreaks.

"If, as seems probable, this is the act of some crazy socialist, he has
unwittingly done harm to the cause of reform in general," said Raeburn
to Erica when the informant had passed on. "Those papers for Hasenbalg
were important ones, and, if laid hold of by unfriendly hands, might do
untold harm. Socialism is the most foolish system on earth. Inevitably
it turns to this sort of violence when the uneducated have seized on its
main idea.

"After all, I believe they will save the house," said Erica. "Just look
at those men on the top, how splendidly they are working!"

It was, in truth, a grand, though a very horrible sight to see the dark
forms toiling away, hewing down the burning rafters with an absolute
disregard to their personal safety. These were not firemen, but
volunteers chimney-sweeps, as one of the crowd informed Raeburn and it
was in the main owing to their exertions that the fire was at length
extinguished.

After the excitement was over, they went into the neighboring hotel,
where there was some difficulty in obtaining rooms, as all the
burned-out people had taken refuge there. However, the utmost
hospitality and friendliness prevailed, and even hungry Englishmen,
cheated of their dinner, were patient for once, while the overtaxed
waiters hurried to and fro, preparing for the second and quite
unexpected table d'hote. Everyone had something to tell either of his
escape or his losses. One lady had seen her night gown thrown out of the
window, and had managed adroitly to catch it; some one else on rushing
up to find his purse had been deluged by the fire engine, and Raeburn's
story of the little German boy excited great interest. The visitors were
inclined to make a he