Omaha daily bee., 1915-06-25

and done TO you? / tell you I'm ashamed.
don't know what keeps me from sink
! ing down through the floor The hard
est things I've got to say comes next
Some OF you girls know me for hard,
| cold-hearted man. Is there any cir! here
| who can say worse than that OF me?'
| He paused as u waiting for a reply.
Then he went on:
well there is one girl here who could
say worse than that II me, IL she would.
But she won't. She won't squeal. So I'll
have to do the squeallng. Molly Bryant
| Step forward please. Molly Bryan I've
something 10 say to YOU that l want all
your friends and well-wishers to hear
/ Very slowly slender girl. with tragic
haunted dark. eyes came forward.
Stand alongside of me, Molly, ana turn
SOS everybody can see you. Some of
! yoL,' he went on, have known Molly a
! long time. Was there ever a better hearted
friend, or a cheerful worker? Look st
poor Molly now! She looks as sad as the
East river on a winter Gay. It's no news
to any Of you or / wouldn't go into it.
But Mollys got no big brother. or no
heavy listed father TO look after her.
All she had was herself to look after
body. And you know as we'll as do, as
well as she does. what's come over her
Ito make here look the way they do. Look
here"
He took much crumpled paper from
his breast pocket.
Girls" he said. this here il a license
for me and Molly to get married. It's
four months old now. but it's perfectly
good license; in perfect good working
order. ] fooled her with It. That's what
I did
He turned abruptly to the girl at his
SIDE.
Il don't ask you to forgive Inc now
Molly, not this moment I don't. not till
IIve made food with you by kind words
and thoughtful deeds. But l do ask you
! TO step out with me right nov to the
ioffice Of the nerest magistrate, and
and I'll always be good to you"
CeIestia stepped swiftly forward. took
the girls thin. pretty face between he'
two hands and kissed her.
II know you'll be happy" she anid'
After Celestla. many others, some cry
ing with excitement, came forward to
kiss Molly and wish her well. And then
the manager made Molly take his arm,
and he led her the length Of the room
|, looking proud and manly, and out of the
door They passed very close to Tommy
and, of course, he could have stopped
them and told them about the two younG
, men smoking cigarettes. but he didn't
I The scene which he had just witnesses
, seemed TO have wiped the matter from
, his mind. As for Ceelestia, she seemed
10 have disappeared under a wave o
, girls. and Tommy turned on his heel and
? moved toward the door with the intention
, OF waiting for her outside the building
, where she had told him 20 wait lie had
his hand on the door knob. and had
started 20 pull the heavy zinc-swathed
door open. when from the outskirts of the
crowd came a very young. sick-looking
girl said suddenly In q loud, piercine
voice
II smell smoke! / smell smoke"
Thsre vas a dead silence. And theI
|, another voice spoke.
It's coming through the flooI. L,ooI
at II! Look at IT,
Tommy, a sudden great dread in hi
heart, hurried toward Celestial He hat
) travsrsed half the length OF the room
. when he girl who had spoken frs
+ screamed at the top Of her lungs. Fire
I FIRE.
4 Others took up the cry. and upon IN,
4 instant pandemonium broke l0oss Wiz