The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1908-05-22

The girls face grew troubled, and
she put her hand upon his for an In
slant.
I'm sorry you asked me-" she said
softly. 81 am sorry to hurt you. 1t was
for that reason that THAT l have
stuck SO close to Bessie"
"Then you don't carer he demand
ed.
''In way, yes" she began. But
am sensitive to first impressions. and
somehow l can't look at you without
recalling that property stomach and
the absurd chin whiskers. You have
been awfully good, butch, can't love
-a-funny man."
But didn't suppose you thought l
was always fool. Look at that fool
ish house right there on top Of that
hill. Think what 1t must mean to live
there all winter. It's all right in the
summer time; but, oh-oh-in the win
ter timer
Nettie glanced at him quickly. She
could not understand his abrupt change
of subject. and she concluded that she
lad not hvrt him very much. since he
30 soon forgot. which was exactly
Grantley's purpose. But from that mo-
ment he hated the padded stomach
and the false hair which were his
bread and butter.
He made no attempt to reopen the
discussion, and the weeks went past
rapidly with 10 apparent change In
their friendly relations. Nettie did not
dream that beneath his fun Grantley
nursed the sorrow she had caused and
that only In the watches of the night
did he give way to feelings none the
less poignant because so successfully
concealed.
Then came the lesson the girl needed.
They were playing a small theater In
a week of one night stands. At the
matinee some gas tanks used for color
effects thrown up from beneath the
stage In the last act exploded as the
operator tried to start them up. He
was the company's electrician and I'M
accustomed to handling calcium lights.
An incorrect mixture of the gases, fol-
lowed by a momentary panic of the
man, and the damage was done.
Flames burst through the traps to the
stage, the dust on the fireproofed
scenery carried the fire to the rigging
aloft, and the place was ablaze. II
only remained for the stage hands to
drop the fire curtain, cut the skylight
ropes and then make for safety.
Once the skyllghts were opened the
draft drew the flames up to the roof
and away from the auditorium; but.
though this saved the audience, 1t
meant death for the girls who were
dressing on the top floor. The small
theater was insufficiently supplied
with dressing rooms, and the chorus
was herded in an unfinished loft above
the auditorium, usually given over to
the storage of odds and ends. With
the skylights open they were trapped.
With no thought for himself, Grant
ley sped up the narrow iron stairway
leading to the loft Behind him the
stage was mass of flames. So he
drove back the few girls who were
trying to make their way down the
stairs. Most of the chorus were too
terrified to attempt to escape, but as
Grantley burst into the room they rose
to their feet, wild with hysteria.
1.-THE roofs the only CHANGER cried
Grantley as he pointed to the iron lad
der leading to the skylight Until
the flames spread there is safety In the
front of the building. Hurry up, girls!"
He drove them up the narrow pas
sageway, and as he stood at the foot
of the ladder he encouraged them with
his voice, relieving the tension by jok-
ing. He was. the last through the sky
light and 1t was Nettie who helped
him through.
Already the rear OF the roof was
blazing, but the front was still safe,
and on one side there was a drop Of
dozen feet to the roof Of an adjoin-
ing building. Leaning over the edge.
Grantley swung the girls down one by
one, and at last he dropped to the roof
himself just as the flames burst
through the front of the theater roof.
and a stream of water drenched him
to the skin.
"Close CALL" he commented as he
glanced up and rubbed his aching
arms. "rd like to find the fellows who
turned the hose on me-"
at was from the street. They could
not see you" explained Nettie. I'm
glad they did 1t. Dick"
She pointed to the painted tin Of the
roof, where his wig and beard lay wet
and draggled. Its washed the mem
DRY out" she explained. And the light
of understanding came into Grantley's
eyes as he bent and kissed her white
face. to him sweeter than ever in the
| awakaninU of love