tt?" the lad asked as he cleared the fence at a
bound, and stood by the old man's side on the lawn.

"Gone off to a party, and young Master Matthew with him. Run and do
what you can, for Heaven's sake, and I'll follow."

George bounded across the grass like a hare, and bolted into the house
without ceremony, for he now perceived smoke issuing from several of
the front windows. In the hall he found old Reuben, the aged butler,
whom Mr. Blackett still provided with a home, doing what he could to
stay the progress of the flames, by throwing upon the burning
staircase little pailfuls of water brought by the maid servants. But,
in truth most of the women were screaming, and those who were not were
fainting.

"I'm almost moidered with it all," the old fellow cried helplessly, to
which the superannuated gardener, who now came wheezing in, added,
"Aye, we're both on us moidered."

George glanced at the futile old couple, then cast his eye upwards, to
the various stretches of the grand staircase which could be seen from
the well below. Almost every length of the banisters was blazing, and
the cracked and broken skylight above caused a fierce upward draught.

"It's at the top the water should be poured down," George cried,
taking in the situation in an instant. "I'll see if I can get up." And
in spite of the shouts of the old fellows, and the redoubled shrieks
of the maids, the lad skipped up two or three of the flights that
zigzagged up the staircase well.

At the second floor, however, he was almost overwhelmed by a great
mass of smoke mingled with flame that shot suddenly out of the long
corridor running right and left. Blinded, choked, scorched, George
staggered back, tripped, and with a clatter fell down the six or eight
steps he had mounted of that flight, and lay for a moment on the broad
carpeted landing half-dazed. But speedily recovering himself, he
perceived that the portion of the stairs from which he had just fallen
was now blazing fiercely.

"It is useless!" he cried to himself, as he turned to descend to the
servants below.

Then, before he had made two steps agonizing shrieks rang out from
somewhere above, and he stopped dead, almost appalled.

"Miss Mary and Mrs. Maynard!" he heard the old men shout from below,
and the cries of the women servants grew frantic, as the little band
gazed terror-stricken upwards. George, too, cast his eyes aloft, and
there, to his utter dismay, were dimly seen through the