The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-14
EVENING STORY
A Hero'S Cue.
(By Sylvia Turner.)


the dinner table, lis largely a matter
of accidental coincidence
Coincidence must be accidental,
interjected Roland jocularly.
And certain eXcitable reaction,
mental, of course, wherein the hero
cordance with the exigencies of the
moment
There was a silence at the tables
where Mrs. BardwelPs paying guests
took their evening meal. When the
doctor felt called upon to explain,
there was always silence. The doctor
felt it was a respectful silence, and
Roland said to let him dream in
peace. But Frances glanced up with
little laughing glance at Roland, and
BILE sigh. Opposite Frances sat VIII
liams. absorbed as usual in his own
thoughts, and eating too fast.
DO you agree with that, Mr.. VIII
llams 90 asked Miss Brockway, tact
lessly.
Yes said Williams, without par
| lev mo man is a hero who sets the
stage and acts a part. 1t is purely in
voluntary
The doctor beamed at him from
across the room. He had not noticed
Williams specially before. He was
newcomer, whereas the doctor was as
permanent a fixture as the blue
| globed gas jets overhead.
MISS IrOckWdy TeSdIQeu MIN Win
a reserved and maidenly interest also.
She had not liked the way he read
newspapers at the table before, but,
she decided, it had evidently produced
in him a firm and decisive mind. But
Frances smiled, a provoking little one
sided smile, and Williams saw it. He
gave her one straight, level glance Of
rebuke and knew in his heart it vas
not even seen.
After dinner, as usual, he avoided
the congregation of kindred souls out
on the front steps and in the double
parlors Roland always joined them,
but Williams went on up to the back
room they shared in common and went
after his engineering books with a
certain savage avidity. 1t was late
when he finished, about 11:30. Ro-
! land came up, humming a fragment of
Hawaiian melody he had caught from
Mrs. BardwelPs preserved harmony.
He spoke of the new moon and of
Frances dancing.
Some girls are merely spectacular,
but she has soul and intellect" said
| Roland She is not exactly what
you'd call beautiful Tom, but she's
tantalizing and interesting. Did you
know she was from Kentucky, too"
| Williams nodded his head imper-
sonally. Yes, he knew she was from
Kentucky, and he knew some of her
cousins at college, and he'd met her
| father once, or, at least, had heard
him make an address on Kentucky's
great and glorious heritage of pre-
serving the thorobred type on the
American turf. He was from Ken
lucky, too, but he didn't think it was
the only state in the Union. This
yoking oneself to patch of earth
when the world lay in front of one
as a field of endeavor made Williams
weary. He slammed his books down
| on a cd
| bed, merely requesting his roommate
| to drop Hawaii into the seventh circle
| of horrors.
! 1t was far into the night when he
wakened with the muscles of his
throat taut and singing. When he
opened his eyes he faced a gun-metal
colored mist. Making for the window
in quick dive, he opened it wide,
drew in the keen air deeply and
turned around to rouse Roland. 1t
| took more than a friendly call or a
touch on the shoulder. Williams
wasted no time, but splashed water in
his face and told him to get out in
the halls and rouse the people, while
! he found the source of the fire.
Ring in an ALARM" he called, as he
slapped a Turkish towel out of cold
water and held it around his face and
noStrilS in the down rush thru the
halls. And from then on until he was
fished out unconscious from the sub
cellar by the firemen Williams drop
ped out of mortal ken, but Roland dis
covered involuntary heroism. He was
in his pa jamas with a raincoat thrown
hastily over them, going from door to
door rousing the slum bering boarders.
Also he went to the corner and turned
in the fire alarm, rather dazedly- And
when he came back he met the full
contingent of Mrs Bardwelfs house
hold coming downstairs with their
most precious belongings clasped in
their arms. The doctor bore his type
writer and suitcase, Miss Brockway a
pillowcase full of valuables and arc
matte ammonia on hand for emer-
gencies. But Frances stood out on
the front steps in a corduroy robe,
with a long cloak around her.
Have you seen Mr.. Williams any
where?" she asked The firemen are
coming, aren't they?"
"Oh, yes" Roland assured her, hap
PLY. 81 have just turned in the alarm.
I don't think it's dangerous yet, tho,
Only, of course, the smoke We might
all have been suffocated."
That's what they are saying an
swered Frances TT was good you
Weakened in time"
Now right there was Rolands
chance, and he missed it because the
doctor spied him and hailed him as a
hero. So did Miss Brockway, almost
fainting on his shoulder, and offering
MIN the drOIIldllC diilllloiilh ny oecAie
". So did each and every one of the
survivors, individually and severally
He had reused them and saved their
lives Roland almost believed it him
SELF especially when he caught Fran
cess smile. 1t was amused, but it was
amazingly friendly, too.
My boy" said the doctor, feeHngly
1--WE can never forget this night or re-
pay you. You took your life in your
hands going thro those smoke-filIed
halls
! without thought of himself,