The Girl from Hong-Kong: A Story of Adventure Under Five Suns — page 287: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE GIRL FROM HONG-KONG. 281 _in dragging the women through, regardless of torn gar- ‘ments and burns. : Again Terry sees that many must meet their fate at that point, since there will not be time to allow their passage through such a small avenue. More than ever does he realize that the life of his Doris rests solely in his hands. | What can be done? In this dread moment like an inspiration comes the recollection of seeing an ax fastened to the wall of the building amid ribbons and banners—it may have been there as an ornament or through the orders of the Fire Department—in such a time one cares only for he fact, not the cause. =e Tt was surely on the left wall—his eye ranges upward, and almost immediately discovers the object he seeks. If Terry Donahue ever has a new coat-of-arms designed for his family the ax must certainly be its leading char- acteristic; for on this night it saves the hope of that honored house. / 5 He springs forward and snatches the tool from the wall. The power of ten men seems to possess him. “Keep back!” he shouts, as he swings the ax on high and‘hurls it against the side of the structure. In the family of Gladstone the ax has always been cherished as a symbol of veneration; but the sage of Hawarden never had such cause ‘to rest his all upon its power as does this young Englishman at the Charity Bazaar. Again comes a crash such as few things could resist. At least there are those who have cause to rejoice that the walls of the building are so flimsy. a The ax has already started a plank—again it comes with terrific force, and the opening is made ; but he does mot stop there—a second must follow in order to give egress to more than one at a time, and the roaring flames are dreadfully near. When, undér his fierce onslaught, the. second plank is 4orn from its fastenings, the way is: clear. Fully five score persons might escape through this opening could they know of it in time... : comicibooks.com