When he had ascertained that the gutter would bear him he took up the iron bar, and, laying it down in the gutter, pushed it towards the burning house.
Thus he was now standing on the window-sill next to the one at which he had seen Marion, and the iron bar, to which the cross laths of the bed had been attached, lay in the gutter overhead between him and the burning house.
Was she still standing at that window? or had the accursed flames---- No, no; he must not even think of such a thing for a moment. It would unnerve him, and he had need of all his nerve and strength now if she was to be saved. So far all had gone well. It was not more than a minute and a half since he had seen her figure at the window. How long that minute and a half seemed to him! Keep cool! That was the great thing; keep cool!
All this rushed through his mind as he once more lifted himself up by the power of his hands and hung out of the gutter.
At that moment a fireman thrust his head through the bottom sash, and said:
"We've sent for another escape. What are you going to do? You can, if you are strong, go along the gutter to the window, but you can't bring her back that way."
"I am not going to try," said Cheyne.
"Then what are you going to do? You can't go along the roof, it's too steep."
"I can," said Cheyne.
"You cannot," said the fireman. "We've been looking at it, and we all agree it's too steep."