Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-19

forward blindly, struck against tin
sheathed door that was loosely hung and
fell painting at the crack beneath 1t.
He could hear, Enthusiastically, the quiet
grumble of Stified flames. And the flooring
hot under his hands.
With that he turned on all fours followed
his path back with an unerring sense of di-
rection, shouldered into the packing case,
picked up his helmet. rose to his feet and
ran for the doorway. shouting to the men
who were cropping around him in the dark
ness.
Two of Gallegher's squad were coughing
and gasping In the street. Report No. .
finds fire in the basement" he cried in a
heart-lifting exultation; comm up tn ele-
vator shaft. Smash in those dead
lights! Get Yer cellar piper'
One of the men darted out into the confu-
sion of the street to find the chief Before
the other could reach the truck Meaghan
had picked out the steel maui and was at
lacking the headlights with ii. And swung
with the stiff short blows of strong shout
ders, he drove it through thick glass and
cracking cast iron with the accuracy of a
stone-breaker.
His men joined them with their axes; and
while they were still working there Gale
CHER came out. choking and coughing. from
the stairs. He saw Meaghan working with
the maui like common truckman, and he
did not understand the sight. He went over
TO him. The captain tossed him the heavy
hammer, ordered him to take the men into
the cellar, and hurried back to the truck
LOT an ak. lie was met by an engine COM
pany dragging a line of hose Come on
here, he greeted them. Fires in the
back. and led them into the ground floor
on the double.
Gallagher looked up at him he passed,
and remained staring after him when he
was lost in the smoke. He knew 1t was
Meaghan's place to remain with his own
company. He supposed-from what he could
guess of the condition of the captains mind
that the old man, stung with the thought
of his retirement, would commit some folly
that would endanger his life. He turned to
one of the crew. Look after this" he said
and. shutting his teeth with a snap on the
stfie that puffed into his face he began to
track up the line of hose which Meaghan
had led in.
He found the air at once almost un-
breatheable, the heat uncomfortable; but he
made better progress, the sure trail
than the men who had preceded him, and
he quickly overlook the foreman of the en-
CINE company who, with his two pipemen,
was following on hands and knees after
Meaghan, whom they had lost. Gallagher
heard the captains call ahead of them and
he CROPPED forward in the direction of the
voice to find Meaghan shaking in through
the smoke, dra gging his ak as If he were
crawling In a burrow.
Gallagher threw himself beside him. Start
yer water Meaghan ordered. I'VE can't
make that door. She's loose. anyway. The
streamll bring her down"
It's me-Gallegher," the lieutenant stam-
mered.
What? What's the matter?' Meaghan
asked, thickly. What d'yuh want? .
Eh?"
Gallagher began: II thought you'd
thought" 1t was impossible to confess
what he had thought.
Some one wants me?" Meaghan asked.
He got no answer.
who wants me?'
Gallagher did not answer.
He had, in fact, taken advantage OF the
darkness to retreat from his mistake. He's
over to the right, there" he said hurriedly
to the pipemen as he passed: and he came
out on the street red and fustered with the
consciousness of having made an indiscreet
fool of himself.
He was standing over the men at their
work of lowering ladder into the base
ment when the captain came Unexpectedly
out to him. "What?' he said, looking
around him for superior officer. who
wants me?"
Gallagher struggled with a clumsy lie In
an abashed silence. Meaghan glared at him.
who wanted me?" he demanded
The lieutenant did not answer; he looked
up with piteously appealing eye. The
truth dawned on the captain. What the
- He choked. What d'yuh - What
the devil!'
Gallagher eased his helmet well" he
tried to explain. Il was afraid you'd
Afraid I'd what?' Meaghan beloved at
him. Amt 1 old enough to take care O.
my" The words stopped him wen.
by c." he swore. That's 1t. is It? Yuh
got the chiefs bat, have yuh?" He shook
his fist in the lieutenant's eyes when /
want a nurse I'll tell yuh, - yuh
You cubs, yuh'd We been huntin' fer this
blaze yet if it hadn't been fer me-"
muffied cry of Start your water,''
sounded from within.
The fireman on the threshold took I'D the
cry and sent 1t bounding from man to man.
like tossed ball, over the tumult of the
street, into the echoing gorge of high build
ings at the corner.
Meaghan took off his helmet and threw It
In Gallegher's face. BLAST yer eyes" he
cried Why can't yuh mind yer own bus
ness? Yuh think yuh know II all don't
yuh?- If didn't know no more you about
The hose at their feet writhed. swelled
and stiffened to the size of a gigantic SER
pent. You obey orders. seer" Meaghan
cried I'm cap'n of this comp'ny vet
awhile" and with last furious oath he
turned and darted back into the door
way.
Gallagher put hand across his bruised
mouth. Darn his old hide" he said. "Tll
show him l got s much right in there as
him. and kicking aside the captains he'll
met he followed doggedly in.
When Capt Meaghan reached the nozzle
again he found the pipemen lying drenched
with the water that beat back on them from
the near wall In refreshingly cool spray
he shouted to them to turn the stream to
the left, where he knew the door to be-
They could not hear him. He crawled over
one Of them to push the nozzle aside and
the man promptly gave place to him. He
lay down beside the pipe and directed II
blndly; and in a moment the powerful
stream struck the tin sheathing with a
roaring weight that burst the door from its
hinges into kissing fire
The heat leaped out on them before a live
pun of fame, and Capt Meaghan felt the
man beside him kick and struggle with the
pain and stingings of scorched hands and
cracking lips. Then the nozzle tried to lash
free of his grip; the remaining pipemen
clambered over his legs and he was left
alone.
He rolled over on the hose to pin 1t down
rested the nozzle on his arm and hid his
face beside 1t where he could get the little
air that was freed from the stream His
anger against Gallagher and the chief set
his jaws in determination to beat back the
fire, even though he was helpless before
them. And that truly Irish resolution held
them until the first torture of the heat had
slowly passed and left him numb and
drowsy in that effect of physical ease which
precedes death by fire as it precedes death
by freezing.
He was reused by the touch of hand on
his boot-hee; It closed tightly around his
instep and tugged at his leg: and he kicked
out impattently to show that he was in no
need OF help. man crawled up over him
and loosened his hands from the nozzle