Lady Molly - The Endhis shaggy hair and beard were blown about his head by the terrible draught caused by the
flames, and he waved his arms over his head, giving the impression to those below, who
gazed horrified, that he was either possessed or dying. In one hand he held what looked like
a great long bundle.
We could see him now put one leg forward, obviously gathering strength to climb the
somewhat high window ledge. With a shout of encouragement the two firemen scrambled up
with squirrel-like agility, and the cry of "They're coming! They're coming! Hold on, Felkin!"
rose from a hundred excited throats.
The unfortunate man made another effort. We could see his face clearly now in the almost
blinding glow which surrounded him. It was distorted with fear and also with agony.
He gave one raucous cry, which I do believe will echo in my ears as long as I live, and with a
super- human effort he hurled the bundle which he held out of the window.
At that same moment there was a terrific hissing, followed by a loud crash. The floor beneath
the feet of the unfortunate man must have given way, for he disappeared suddenly in a sea of
flames.
The bundle which he had hurled down had struck the foremost fireman on the head. He lost
his hold, and as he fell he dragged his unfortunate comrade down with him. The others ran to
the rescue of their comrades. I don't think they were seriously hurt, but what happened
directly after among the crowd, the firemen, or the burning building, I cannot tell you. I only
know that at the moment when Felkin's figure was, for the second time, seen in the frame of
the glowing window, Lady Molly seized my hand and dragged me forward through the crowd.
Her husband's life was hanging in the balance, just as much as that of the miserable wretch
who was courting a horrible death for the sake of those proofs which--as it was proved
afterwards--Philip Baddock tried to destroy by such drastic means.
The excitement round the ladder, the fall of the two firemen, the crashing in of the floor and
the gruesome disappearance of Felkin caused so much excitement in the crowd that the
bundle which the unfortunate man had thrown remained unheeded for the moment. But Philip
Baddock reached the spot where it fell thirty seconds after Lady Molly did. She had already
picked it up, when he said harshly:
"Give me that. It is mine. Felkin risked his life to save it for me."
Inspector Etty, however, stood close by, and before Philip Baddock realized what Lady Molly
meant to do, she had turned quickly and placed the bundle in the inspector's hands.
"You know me, Etty, don't you?" she said rapidly.
"Oh, yes, my lady!" he replied.