His footsteps echoing noisily in the midnight silence brought a few heads to their windows, and almost before he stood in the court there was the cry of "Fire!" Terrible anywhere, such a cry in a court like Driver's was terrible indeed.

In a moment the narrow pavement swarmed with people, shouting, cursing, and screaming.

Although even yet the flames scarcely appeared from below, a panic set in which it was hopeless either to remove or control.

Chairs, tables, mattresses were flung, it seemed at random, from the windows.

Mothers, not venturing out on the stairs, cried down to those below to catch their children.