Now it was at this critical moment that I chanced to come upon the
scene.
I had just ascertained from the brass plate on the door that Dr
McTougall dwelt there, and was thinking what an ugly unromantic name
that was for a pretty girl as I descended the steps, when Dumps's first
yell broke upon my astonished ears. I recognised the voice at once,
though I must confess that the second yell from the interior of the
watering-pan perplexed me not a little, but the hideous clatter with
which it was associated, and the sudden bursting out of flames in the
drawing-room, drove all thoughts of Dumps instantly away.
My first impulse was to rush to the nearest fire-station; but a wild
shouting in the lobby of the house arrested me. I rang the bell
violently. At the same moment I heard the report of a pistol, and a
savage curse, as a bullet came crashing through the door and went close
past my head. Then I heard a blow, followed by a groan. This was
succeeded by female shrieks overhead, and the violent undoing of the
bolts, locks, and chains of the front door.
Thought is quick. Burglary flashed into my mind! A villainous-looking
fellow leaped out as the door flew open. I recognised him instantly as
the man who had sold Dumps to me. I put my foot in front of him. He
went over it with a wild pitch, and descended the steps on his nose!
I was about to leap on him when a policeman came tearing round the
corner, just in time to receive the stunned Brassey with open arms, as
he rose and staggered forward.
"Just so. Don't give way too much to your feelings! I'll take care of
you, my poor unfortunate fellow," said the policeman, as a brother in
blue came to his assistance.
Already one of those ubiquitous creatures, a street-boy, had flown to
the fire-station on the wings of hope and joy, and an engine came
careering round the corner as I turned to rush up the stairs, which were
already filled with smoke.
I dashed in the first door I came to. A lady, partially clothed, stood
there pale as death, and motionless.
"Quick, madam! descend! the house is on fire!" I gasped in sharp
sentences as I seized her. "Where is your--your (she looked young)
_sister_?" I cried, as she resisted my efforts to lead her out.
"I've no sister!" she shrieked.
"Your daughter, then! Quick, direct me!"
"Oh! my darling!" she cried, wringing her hands.
"Where?" I shouted in desperation, for the smoke was thickening.
"Up-stairs," she screamed, and rushed out, intending evidently to go up.
I caught her round the waist and forced her down the stairs, thrust her
into the arms of an ascending fireman, and then ran up again, taking
three steps at a time. The cry of a child attracted me. I made for a
door opposite, and burst it open. The scene that presented itself was
striking. Out of four cribs and a cradle arose five cones of
bed-clothes, with a pretty little curly head surmounting each cone, and
ten eyes blazing with amazement. A tall nurse stood erect in the middle
of the floor with outstretched arms, glaring.
Instantly I grasped a cone in each arm and bore it from the room.
Blinded with smoke, I ran like a thunderbolt into the arms of a gigantic
fireman.
"Take it easy, sir. You'll do far more work if you keep cool. Straight
on to front room! Fire-escape's there by this time."
I understood, and darted into a front room, through the window of which
the head of the fire-escape entered at the same moment, sending glass in
splinters all over us. It was immediately drawn back a little, enabling
me to throw up the window-sash and thrust the two children into the arms
of another fireman, whose head suddenly emerged from the smoke that rose
from the windows below. I could see that the fire was roaring out into
the street, and lighting up hundreds of faces below, while the steady
clank of engines told that the brigade was busily at work fighting the
flames. But I had no time to look or think. Indeed, I felt as if I had
no power of volition properly my own, but that I acted under the strong
impulse of another spirit within me.
Darting back towards the nursery I met the first fireman dragging with
his right hand the tall nurse, who seemed unreasonably to struggle
against him, while in his left arm he carried two of the children, and
the baby by its night-dress in his teeth.
I saw at a glance that he had emptied the nursery, and turned to search
for another door. During the whole of this scene--which passed in a few
minutes--a feeling of desperate anxiety possessed me as to the fate of
the young lady to whom I had given up my doggie. I felt persuaded she
slept on the same floor with the children, and groped about the passage
in search of another door. By this time the smoke was so dense that I
was all but suffocated. A minute or two more and it would be too late.
I could not see. Suddenly I felt a door and kicked it open. The black
smoke entered with me, but it was still clear enough inside for me to
perceive the form of a girl lying on the floor. It was she!
"Miss McTougall!" I shouted, endeavouring to rouse her; but she had
fainted. Not a moment now to lose. A lurid tongue of flame came up the
staircase. I rolled a blanket round the girl--head and all. She was
very light. In the excitement of the moment I raised her as if she had
been a child, and darted back towards the passage, but the few moments I
had lost almost cost us our lives. I knew that to breathe the dense
smoke would be certain suffocation, and went through it holding my
breath like a diver. I felt as if the hot flames were playing round my
head, and smelt the singeing of my own hair. Another moment and I had
reached the window, where the grim but welcome head of the escape still
rested. With a desperate bound I went head first into the shoot, taking
my precious bundle along with me.
A fireman chanced to be going down the shoot at the time, carefully
piloting one of the maids who had been rescued from the attics, and
checking his speed with outspread legs. Against him I canonned with
tremendous force, and sent him and his charge in a heap to the bottom.
This was fortunate, for the pace at which I must have otherwise come
down would have probably broken my neck. As it was, I felt so stunned
that I nearly lost consciousness. Still I retained my senses
sufficiently to observe a stout elderly little man in full evening
dress, with his coat slit up behind to his neck, his face
half-blackened, and his shaggy hair flying wildly in all directions--
chiefly upwards. Amid wild cheering from the crowd I confusedly heard
the conversation that followed.
"They're all accounted for now, sir," said a policeman, who supported
me.
The elderly gentleman had leaped forward with an exclamation of earnest
thankfulness, and unrolled the blanket.
"Not hurt! No, thank God. Lift her carefully now. To the same
house.--And who are you?" he added, turning and looking full at me as I
leaned in a dazed condition on the fireman's shoulder. I heard the
question and saw the speaker, but could not reply.
"This is the gen'leman as saved two o' the child'n an' the young lady,"
said the tall fireman, whom I recognised as the one into whose bosom I
had plunged on the upper floor.
"Ay, an' he's the gen'leman," said another fireman, "who shoved your
missus, sir, into my arms, w'en she was bent on runnin' up-stairs."
"Is this so?" said the little gentleman, stepping forward and grasping
my hand.
Still I could not speak. I felt as if the whole affair were a dream,
and looked on and listened with a vacant smile.
Just at that moment a long, melancholy wail rose above the roaring of
the fire and clanking of the engines.
The cry restored me at once.
"Dumps! my doggie!" I exclaimed; and, bursting through the crowd,
rushed towards the now furiously-burning house, but strong hands
restrained me.
"What dog is it?" asked the elderly gentleman. A man, drenched,
blackened, and bloodstained, whom I had not before observed, here said--
"A noo dog, sir, Dumps by name, come to us this wery day. We putt 'im
in the scullery for the night."
Again I made a desperate effort to return to the burning house, but was
restrained as before.
"All right, sir," whispered a fireman in a confidential tone, "I know
the scullery. The fire ain't got down there yet. Your dog can only
have bin damaged by water as yet. I'll save 'im sir, never fear."
He went off with a quiet little nod that did much to comfort me.
Meanwhile the elderly gentleman sought to induce me to leave the place
and obtain refreshment in the house of a friendly neighbour, who had
taken in his family.
"You need rest, my dear sir," he said; "come, I must take you in hand.
You have rendered me a service which I can never repay. What?
Obstinate! Do you know that I am a doctor, sir, and must be obeyed?"