Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/250

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XXII

PEGGY! Peggy, is it you, dear?"

He covered her face with kisses and she clung to him silently, tremblingly. For a long moment he held her, everything forgotten in the transport of wondering joy. Then, tearing himself from her arms, he rushed to the window, sent the shade hurtling up, opened the window with a crash and turned on the light.

"Quick," he said, "we must get out of here before it's too late. It's all on fire below. Stop for nothing!" Then, as she raised herself, dazed and bewildered, he threw open the doors of the wardrobe and seized a cloak from a hook. He threw it around her and lifted her to her feet. She swayed and clung to him desperately.

"Come," he said, "and cover your face with your cloak." Half leading and half carrying her he reached the door and pulled it open. A cloud of smoke rolled in upon them. He paused an

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