One of them upset the lamp, and when the flames began to spread
so that they could not extinguish them, instead of rousing some one near
them, they rushed downstairs to get some one there to come up and help
them put out the fire. When they returned with some of the hotel people,
they found that the flames had spread from their room, which was in an
"L" at the back of the house, to the front part, where Mrs. Montague's
room was, and where the housemaids belonging to the hotel slept. By this
time Mr. Montague had gotten upstairs; but he found the passageway to
his wife's room so full of flames and smoke, that, though he tried again
and again to force his way through, he could not. He disappeared for a
time, then he came to Mr. Morris and got his boy, and took him to some
rooms over his bank, and shut himself up with him.
For some days he would let no one in; then he came out with the look of
an old man on his face, and his hair as white as snow, and went out to
his beautiful house in the outskirts of the town.
Nearly all the horses belonging to the hotel were burned. A few were
gotten out by having blankets put over their heads, but the most of them
were so terrified that they would not stir.
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