Evening star., 1914-07-26
By ETHEL WATTS MUMFORD

house. noting, he did so that the amboyantly dec
GRATED apartment was mere f1irnsily built house of
cards. In the he clearly heard the voices of fire.
men he sent to join, they gain control
of the flaming well of the elevators.
He turned from his duty, ducked into the open door
of suite of deserted Offices making for the side stair
case he knew must be provided for Service, with
pause he made for the upper STORIES He kept
on until six seven floors passed. Then with
sudden lunge he drove in door the left of the land
ing, and found himself tiled kitchen. Pots and pans
lay scattered, broken plates on the hoor-they
who had rushed from the place had not stood upon the
order of their going. The pantry door gave to his
touch By freak of chance an electric light still
gared in the passage, which opened directly into the
dining room. Turmoil had passed that way. Chairs
and tables thrust aside; the floor and hangings
streamed with water.
He stopped short, arrested by heavy detonation
that rocked the building. Recovering himself and with
hardly glance at the massive silver the sdeboard
he pushed through library. Here strange
quiet startling face of the inevitable destruction ap
preaching with raging fury. To complete the irony,
the embers of fire glowed in the open hearth. Judg
ing the general plan of the house by his entrance Gala
han hurried across the room, down sitting hail. and
entered square bedroom. Its hangings of rosecoored
silk ripped from their fastenings by the force of
the streams of water that had evidently been directed
from the house fire SERVICE for the windows remained
tightly shut. The delicate satinwood furniture
scattered and broken; the debonair pictures hung
awry on the walls, or lay prone the sodden rugs
With practised rapidity he erked open the console
table by the bed, and snatched up handful of misce
1aneous jewery. small white safe stood in
He tried it, and finding it closed wasted further
attention its steel resistance instead he crossed
the dresser Uttered with silver and gilt accessories
pulled out the upper drawer and dumped its contents
the foor scattering them wide. fiat jewelcase tun
bed from the midst of the froth of laces and ribbons
A pearl necklace met his eager eyes. With quick
movement he parted the curtains by the window, and
held the jewels the 1ght-no taking chances
fake,-but there could be mistake the genu-
neness of his find as the smoke -dimmed light shone
upon it.
The fall of the curtain had partly hidden him from the
He turned away from the easement, the necklace
still in his hand and drew back his heart in his mouth
ACROSS the room running, with
a CHASTITY white face and hurried, furtive manner
Without hesitation he threw himself his knees before
the safe and with det fingers swung the combination
The door Jared open. With trembling haste the
opened after of and velvet casting
them to the floor and thrustng their gtteng
into the breast CT his closely buttoned coat. At the
sight lust Of loot vered hot and cold in the bowels of
the watcher. Callahans very outline became apeke;
his head sung forward between his hunched shoulders
his hands swung low and loose; his legs ben ready for
spring Suddenly sensing the menacing presence, the
the safe turned and sprang his feet and
1.-THE
The two eyed each other for fraction of
second The man at the safe the first to
his selfpossession, his pale lips in hard line.
"Drop that!' he said curtly voice low and sharp
$50 that's the kidney of you-s it? Fire hero, heya
Throw me that junk in your hand and get, by God
III report this, believe mel"
For the fireman thrust the necklace inside
his coat The heavy lay dainty escritoire
at the other side of the Involuntarily his eye
sought it. The intruder gagged the look, and with
quick, silent movement stepped between Callahan and
his weapon.
NToss that junk' he ordered, still in his low, pene-