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CHAPTER XVI.

"I'M THE PATIENT NOW, DOCTOR."

EMILY was not killed, but was nevertheless completely stunned and severely wounded. The roof of an adjoining building had given way, bringing down with it part of the side of a house, and a large stack of chimneys supported by it. Immediately afterwards a tremendous explosion occurred in the lower part of the building, which was entirely uninhabited, blowing out doors and windows and fragments of barrels, until the street was completely blockaded. At first lifted off her feet by the shock, she was then carried a yard or two, receiving a severe blow from a piece of brickwork, which shattered her right arm, and cut a deep gash in her side. A feeble moan was all that escaped

her lips. Although at the time of the occurrence there was not a human being upon her side of the barricade but herself, and many of the people were still in their beds, in a very few minutes windows were thrown up, doors were opened, and there was a general hurry and excitement.

"Oh, dear, what shall I do?" cried one, throwing up her arms in despair. "And I, a poor old woman, with nobody to help

me!"

"Come along!" cried a second, a man, "let us see what's the matter. We must stop it if we can."

"Nay, neighbour," cried a thin cadaverous man, in a night cap, from an adjacent bedroom window. "Don't go now and expose yourself, and tempt Providence. It's of no use-fire is fire-and we've deserved it all of us; it's a Judgment; and all we've to do is to bear it and repent. I wish you'd be said."

"I wish you'd leave your judgments alone, and come down and see what you can do-you're never easy unless your talking about thunderbolts and Cities of the Plain.

If you won't go-go to bed- —or stand by, if you will, and see the salvation of the Lord."

Forward, through the thick yellow smoke, the scorching air, the flying sparks, the leaping points of flame, went the courageous man to see what he could do. He listened intently, but heard nothing; there were then no fellow creatures in suffering. He looked up at the burning building, and round at the bellowing flames, lashed and driven by an easterly wind. He saw it was of no use unless some of the houses were blown down to

intercept the progress of the flames. And while he meditated, half thinking that what' his fearful neighbour had said might possibly be true, his eyes caught a dark mass lying before him upon the ground. He rushed forward at great peril, and beat back the choking, blinding smoke. Mercy! it is a human being. It was poor Emily, by this time in danger of being either finally suffocated, or helplessly burned to death: He called to his friends, but waited not for their assistance. Lifting her up in his arms, he bore her out of the smoke and the sputter, and speedily conveyed her to his own home.

"Dead! dead!" said a dozen voices, as a dozen more curious persons crowded round, as in their stupid ignorance they always do, seeming to wish to fulfil their own prophecy by making her suffocation as complete as possible.

"Stand back," cried the man, angrily. "You'll choke her with your foolishness, that you will. Don't you see that her nostrils begin to move, and she breathes. You'll have plenty to do by-and-by, I can tell you, so you may as well begin now, and leave me to mine."

Once in the house the man was able to keep off the officious crowd. His wife then laid her upon a bed, administered a stimulant, and loosened her clothing. With a loud heavy sigh, the poor girl opened her eyes for a moment, and looked vacantly at the woman. A profuse sweat now bedewed her body, and stood in heavy drops upon her forehead, whilst her blue lips quivered as if in deep internal agony.

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Quick! quick!" cried the woman, "Some more wine, or she's gone!"

A copious draught of wine was again

administered, and she appeared revived. Once more her lips trembled, and this time her effort to speak was successful.

Nay, father, nay," burst out the. girl, evidently wandering in her mind. "You

won't leave your Emily, will you, and alone in this burning city? O, woe is me, woe is me!-they've gone-gone !"

"Her father has deserted her," thought the good Samaritans.

"And has he left you quite alone?" tenderly asked the woman, bending down and kissing her cheek, with all the rich affection one sorrowing woman shows to another, as though they had known each other all their lives, when they have only met for the first time.

"Who ?" Emily imperceptible flush.

My father leave me!

asked with an almost "What did you say

Never, never!"

?

And then the poor girl remembered what she had previously said, gave a rapid startled glance around her, and at once becoming conscious of her position, burst into a flood of tears, covering her face with the uninjured hand. It was some little time before