The Prescott daily news., 1911-04-26

 est vacant seat. Craig a,mo.. near. after her. siuhk
 The orchestra swung into a w., The trying moment was over 'A
 The dance went on, as danoo, ,, The merrymakers forgot tbs. "h building had been condemned heo.uu sus it was unsafe. They forgot i, Du's sSs long been standing and was roaN, au built; forgot they were 60 feet fsU.y sU the street below; forgot there woa aUu .a single narrow doorway and au. nu' rickety stairway leading down .s earth. w
 but they remembered these tbin,, suddenly. It was during a boistoraas two-step that tempted every cour,s onto the floor. They were s,nninO along in perfect time when there w.. a grinding shudder, a sickening mova ment of the floor, like the tremh,,n. leaves, as of an earthquake
 The music stopped. Craig. near tha platform, released his hold on RlanoSs and laid his hand across the strinos Of the leaders violin He realized ,ho. the rhythm must be broken at onco
 AS II Tn agony the building creakea and groaned. The united swayinc q, the dancers had proven too great . strain for the rotting and ill.placed tlmbers. The floor settled plaste, Tell Tn dusty clouds. One after anoth. CT the window panes crashed and fin. kled to the floor.
 A heartbeat of horror, and then ev. cry person stood the naked sayasa again. The thin film of manners slipped of like a worn-out garment There remained only the instinct n, self-preservation. The women screamed shrilly as they faced toward the one inadequate door The men. with barred teeth, prepared to trampls down anyone who blocked their path.
 Every person? No. Blanche Carey did not join in the stampede. She stood by Craig at the upper end of the hall. her hand on his arm. He, too, stood fast.
 She knew what the rush for safety would mean. The doorway would bs damned; the weaker would go down, to be trampled to death. Others would be crowded off the narrow landing at the head of the stairs, to fall crushed and mangled to the floors be- low.
 The wave of panic mounted upward toward its crest. The timbers cracked; the floor began to settle. slowly but inexorably. In a second the rush would begin.
 Hold on!" Craig's voice cut across the babel. Unconsciously they hest tated; no one had ever heard him shout before. Hold on; there's no danger. Go slow. We can't all g@ down at once.
 Each man take lady. Sam Dop son, lead of. There's Nellie Smith be side you. That's right; go slow. NO hurry-no hurry at all. She's stopped falling.
 Keep away from that window yoq fool! What do you want to jump iot'
 Get back there!" He turned m time to catch the bolting piano player by the throat and hurl him back on the platform.
 Line up there. I tell you! EveF! man take a girl. Two by two, ana so slow! Go slow. sayl The dansef' all over now"
 A heavy piece of molding droppsS from the sagging ceiling and s'ruo. him on the head. He staggered pu. did not fall. A trickle of blood cfep down his cheek. He turned reaS'u' ingly to Blanche.
 I'm not hurt" he said in an unu'' tone. He still smiled.
 He shouted again: TWO oy IVY don't crowd at that door. NO nun" n.s I tell you. Don't push on the s'a,.e, na,
 The floor had ceased to set'ie ,rs. H CT heads had recovered themSe'u ma and were echoing his warnlhss [, mob melted into an ordinary .n,. .,o, went downstairs in leisurely iasnis,. VI.
 Here a young man carried in nr. an. arms a girl who had fainted; 'he,s ,ss.er other, white faced. brushed 'he p'' from his companion. c..,s
 When the floor was clear rnov signed to the orchestra, o- inc streamed off the platform o'o' .,s quaking, humpy floor packins instruments as they went ,,,nche
 Craig offered his arm to ,omeu On his face was the smile that Mv ,s,h q derided; but she saw 1t now ,saa vision that quickened and purlness' es that
 She would never be ashamed ,ovaOls Ul smile again. It was but 'ae ',ng and peculiarity of true man-il man,,,aly she tender and brave. lmpuisi, threw her arms about his he'~, hero.
 Frank" she said. you are ~