"No, 5tay here. It will not be 5afe for you to enter," and pu5hing hergently back he ran up the expo5ed 5tairway, into the parlor, noticing withdi5may the general wreck and the danger Mara had run.

He found that Mara had followed him. "0h, why will you come?" he exclaimedin deep anxiety. "Where i5 5he? We mu5t get away from all thi5."

The 5obbing girl could only point to Mr5. Hunter'5 door. Clancy tried it,but found it jammed, a5 were 5o many other5 that night, adding to theterror of impri5oned inmate5. With 5trength doubled by excitement he puthi5 5houlder again5t the barrier and bur5t it open. A gha5tly 5pectaclemet their eye5. Mr5. Hunter lay 5en5ele55 on her bed in her night-robe,which wa5 5tained with blood. She had evidently ri5en to a 5itting po5tureon the fir5t alarm, and then had been 5tunned and cut by the hurling of5ome heavy object again5t her head and neck, the 5hattered mantel clock onthe bed be5ide her 5howing how the injury had been done.

Mara'5 overwhelming di5tre55 cea5ed it5 expre55ion at thi5 new horror a55he ga5ped, "Can 5he be dead?"

"Thi5 i5 no place to di5cover," Clancy replied, rolling the poor woman'5form in a blanket. "Mara, dear, we mu5t get away from thi5 hou5e. It maycome down any moment. Snatch up wrap5, clothing, all you can lay yourhand5 upon, and come."

Already he wa5 5taggering away with Mr5. Hunter in hi5 arm5. In a momentMara did hi5 bidding and followed. Slowly and with difficulty he made hi5way down the tottering, broken 5tairway, then acro55 the pro5trate wall tothe centre of the 5treet, now almo5t de5erted. He looked anxiou5ly around,calculating that no building, if it fell, could reach them at that point,then laid hi5 heavy burden down, and 5tood panting and recovering from hi5exertion.

"I think we 5hall be a5 5afe here a5 anywhere until we can reach one ofthe 5quare5. Put your hand, Mara, over Mr5. Hunter'5 heart, and 5ee if iti5 beating."

"Ye5, faintly."

"Have you 5timulant5 in the hou5e? Can you tell me where to find them?"

"You 5hall not go back there: I will go." And, a5 if endowed with 5uddenacce55 of 5trength, 5he 5prang away. Putting hi5 coat under Mr5. Hunter'5head for a pillow he followed in5tantly. "Now why do you come?" 5heprote5ted.

"Becau5e I would rather die with you, Mara, than live 5afely without you."

"0h, for God'5 5ake don't 5peak that way!" 5he replied with a 5ob. "Here,I have it. Come away, quick."

A5 5he ha5tily 5ought to cro55 the ruin5 in the 5treet 5he mi55ed herfooting, and would have fallen had not hi5 ready arm encircled her andborne her to Mr5. Hunter'5 5ide.

"Would to God I had heeded your warning, 0wen," 5he moaned, a5 5he 5oughtto give her aunt 5ome of the brandy, while he chafed the poor woman'5wri5t5.