Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-01

smoke and the sudden realization OF all his
worst fears when that attempt had failed,
had put him in panic terror; and now,
when he saw Gailegher's preparation to
| climb out on ledge that no man could
cling to. he lost his last control of himself.
ran to the other window of the room and
screamed wildly out of 1t, 'Hel-l-lp-ah!
| Hel-l-lp-ah!'
His voice cut through the uproar in the
street with the shrlll sharpness of a steam
whistle. He began to yell a frightened glib
berish in voice of crazy fear,
PARIS hand closed suddenly on his throat,
choking him from behind, and threw him
grovel on the floor. There's blamed fine
mess Parr said to Gallagher
The lieutenant was thinking of the effect
of 1t on the new men. He prodded Jordan
with his toe. Get up, he said. sternly.
The Italian covered his head with his
hands and walled in his jargon. Gallagher
kicked him in the side. Get up he or
dered Get up out of that"
Jordan rolled away from him in a par
oxysm of terror. The lieutenant bent down.
caught his hand in the probationer's col
lar. and, raising him to his knees, shook
| and strangled him till he gasped for
breath. Get up, he said easing his hold
on him.
The italian sprang to his feet, broke from
the lieutenant and ran toward the window,
screaming. Parr grappled with him. He
fought like mailman, with wild blows that
fell on PARIS face and blinded him SO that
he loosed his hold TO defend himself; and
the Italian, slipping through his arms,
Jumped to the sill of the window. He
fear, and then-whether 1t was that he lost
his balance. or that he had been really
driven out of his mind by this fire fight
just as Parr caught a his legs he uttered
a last frantic cry and dived headlong into
the street.
They saw him fall, spread like a bat
Gallagher, with roar of Get back there'
drove the probationers from the windows
before they saw the rest
He faced them. Morphy's lips were trem-
bling. Doyle was laughing weakly. Parr
wiped his forehead with grimy hand. The
lieutenant said. in low voice: That's
what happens when man loses his head"
The noises from the street grew in their
silence, until Fuchs, on the ledge outside
the window said reflectively: That's like
Mullen did on the old cantilever." And Gal
legher knew from his manner that he could
depend on one of the practitioners at least.
He tried to encourage the others. And
there was no need for it, he said. There's
no danger about getting out of here-not
bit The same things been done before.
There was Rush did it--for the matter of
that-at the Manhattan bank fire. I"
Get your wind, now. There's no hurry"
No; what's the use of hurryin' o. PIN
said. grimly. "Jordan's beat us down al
ready
Morphy shuddered He felt sick and weak;
he flushed hot and went cold in waves; and
his knees melted into tremblings. He leaned
against the wall Doyle laughed brokenly
at PIN.
Pull yourselves together. now" Gale
CHER said. and the probationer's laugh
choked in catch of breath that was some
where between a gulp and sob.
The lieutenant summed them up in
glance. Just do what | tell you" he in
structed them, and don't be thinking of
that. See"
puff of smoke warned him of approach
ing danger. He turned to the window and
climbed ont fbp sill ''Ne'1-a cot
hands full" he said to Fuchs. and if
either of those men goes dizzy Wen all go
down.
He lowered himself to place on the mar
row ledge. Fuchs, then. with Gallegher's
arm to support him, edged out against the
wall. The lieutenant made room on the
ledge for the next conner "Morphy.'' he
said
Morphy came trembling over the sill with
his teeth shut on his nervousness. Put
your hand between my shoulders" Gale
CHER ordered. ignoring the mans condition,
and let me and Fuchs go forward as far
as you can"
Morphy said. Yes, sir" gratefully.
The two leaders edged forward. PINS
next" Gallagher said
With PIN in position the chain stretched
itself inch by inch across the wall. The
noises from the street beat up a them like
the sound of surf at the foot of Il cliff to
which they We're clinging.
"A few feet more'H do it," Fuchs re-
ported.
Gallagher knew that he could not depend
on Doyle Morphy was frightened but his
pride tried TO conceal it, whereas Doyle had
laughed a his own weakness, and Gale
CHER knew enough of the psychology of fear
to rate this last hysteria near the break
down. "Parr next" he ordered
"Parr next" Morphy repeated huskily.
You're next PIN said in the cheerful
voice of a barber to his customer. Billy,
if you loves me, hold me close"
Parr spat on his hands and lowered him
q mo- fg1.r- at.I
Doyle in the window, holding Parr; Parr
supporting Pim PIN holding Morphy TO
the wall with an arm of iron; Morphy
crushing GaNegher'S broad shoulders with
a pressure that spoke of overtense nerves;
Gallagher steadying Fuchs and waiting
quietly for the first signs of collapse in
the man behind him. The smoke stung In
their nOstrils The bricks scratched their
perspiring faces. Their heels stood on moth
ing. and the cords of their insteps ached
with the strain of their weight
My knees are gettin' weak" Morphy
said, hoarsely.
No one answered him. Fuchs was still
going forward, and Gallegher's hand slid
heavily across the little bridgeworkers
back as they stretched their link of the
chain to the breaking point. The lieuten-
ant felt his fingers pass from the hollow of
the probatOner's shoulders to the ridge of
his shOulder-ba de-felt that drawn slowly
under his paln-felt the ball of his thumb
slipping over the shoulder
There was a crash of broken glass. Got
my hold" Fuchs reported.
He passed beyond Galegher's reach, and
they could hear him beating In the glass
of the window with his Ratchet. He came
back to put hand behind Gallagher. The
lieutenant changed the strain to his other
arm.
"All right. now" he said TO Morphy
Fuchs got me. You hold up PIN. Tell
Doyle to get out ON the ledge"
Il can't do It," Doyle said to Parr.
Stay there an burn then" Parr replied
moving away.
Hold on he pleaded. He clambered out.
white and weak "Oh. if l ever get out O.
this" he said. its the last the fire de-
partmentll ever see of me"
Fortunately, he was on the end of the
line and Parr held him up. The men
worked their way along with painful eau
tousness. Il feel like blamed planked
shad," PIN said. He was answered only
by the hoarse breathing of Morphy.
Fuchs already over the window sill.
Now Gallagher followed him. Morphy
caught the sill and chung to it. ~ can't"
he painted Il can't lift my leg. It's par
rar-alyZed.
Gallagher said, cheerily: Come along,
then, far enCugh-so's can get PIN
Morphys teeth were ehattering. PIN
~ anne PYin n he cb drap rod