The Red Cloud chief., 1918-12-19
Great /MRe"he escI5Hrea Wlzy
0IaTE /See OFT list h1SH2"

the gallery entrance to well down Fourteenth
street when Blink arrived.
Step by step he moved along the line, passing
the brilliantly lighted stores from which shone
an uncndng array of Christmas things At last
II gttering display of surgical instruments uhH.
Zled him: his eyes rested on two long pieces vi
polished wood crossed background to the
shining metal pieces and he stopped, WIDE
eyed and open-mOuthcd.
In a moment Blink was out of the line In hn'
other hour he was home. standing before ms
mother and holding pair of crutches up to her
asonished gaze, with but fifteen cents left In his
pockets.
Haltlngly, Blink told his story to his mother
and asked her to wait until next week for her
Christmas present, at which Mr.. Corrgan folded
the boy In her arms until he suddenly straight
ened up, excited
"Sny, look dere!" he exclaimed, pointing
breathlessly to n bright glare in the western sky.
Gee! VIII yez look at 1t. Deres whoppin' big
fire somewheres."
1t half past ten o'clock when Blink
reached Broadway The sidewalks filed
with the usual Christmas eve crowd, most or
them unheedfu of the fire toward which Blink
hurrying.
with each step the crowd grew denser the ex-
citemcnt greater. Occasionally n few people
came hurryng In the opposite direction, and from
these Blink heard lot of mixed rumors. But
what he did hear made him rush the faster. II
was the Regent theuter; an explosion that seemed
10 start fire oil over the theater mt once. panic,
and n score more of people supposed to have
been lost.
For a moment Blink shuddered at what he
felt was narrow escape for Skeeter and him
self But his boyish excitement gave little room
for sentiment, and he became all intent upon
getting nearer.
Couldn't You Stop lt7"
Presently the voices Of two men caused Blink
- TO draw farther in. They stopped near by and
said:
"AIy God. Gallagherl There's people been
killed Wasn't there no way? Couldn't you
stop it?'
"How could l stop IT." came the growing reply.
81 had the two marked tanks stored away In
props room fixed SOS could turn 'em on last
thing before left after the house closed Every.
thing was o. X, tell you, until the tanks we
had on the calcium lights got weak just in the
burglary scene. The stage manager got hot and
called for them other tanks. Wen, there was
nothln' TO It had to get 'em out. ] was maxim
slow work SOS the scene would be over, but the
stage manager fiery. He had them things
connected In second, turned 'em on and when
the gasolene spray hit them redhot lmesones
In the lamp-My God never seen anything like
II. Both tanks burst together, and-you know
the rest"
The two men were silent for moment, then,
"Where's the manager, JimT
81 don't know" the reply Blink heard.
"We warned him. Well, it's done now. but wish
we could have burnt his house without"
"Shut up, man. Somebody might hear"
heavy prolonged rumble, followed by a dull
crash OF falling walls, the shouts of iiremen, and
an increased cracking OF the flames held the
men speeches. for moment while Blink crawled
TO the edge of the areaway. Then:
SLOW about Collins? He might blow. Let's go
to the hospital and talk to him. tn be safer"
There was another pause, then the reply: ~
never got the name Of the hospital. don't know
where he Is"
you don'tl" came the astounded voice. "Then
will have to beat II. This Is place for me
and YOU"
The story had become very apparent to Blink,
and before the men started he had picked his
way down the smoke-Hlled alley, turned back, run.
ming, purposey stumbled against them, and
stood painting for breath.