The patriot. (Glenmora, La.) 1918-1955, 1918-12-13
GreaE IzRe"he excl5Uuea Nt7y
oIanE /See oaE LIST MsSR?"

the gallery entrance to well down FOurteeh'ii
street when Blink arrived.
Step by step he moved along the line, passing
the brilliantly lighted stores from which Shohe
an unending array of Christmas things Al Iist
a gittering display of surgical instruments u'IZ-
zled him: his eyes rested on two long pieces ol
polished wood crossed as background 10 tue
shining metal pieces, and he stopped, vice
eyed and open-mouthed.
In a moment Blink out of the line. In an
other hour he home, standing before MS
mother and holding pair of crutches up to her
astOnished gaze, with but fifteen cents left III MS
pockets.
Haltingly, Blink told his story TO his mother
and asked her to wait until next week for her
Christmas present, ut which Mr. COrrigan folded
tle boy in her arms until he suddenly straight
ened up, excited
SAY. look dere." he exclaimed, pointing
breathlessly to a bright glare in the western sky
Gee! VIII yez look at it. Dere's whoppin' big
fire somewheres."
1t was half past ten o'clock when Blink
reached Broadway The sidewalks filled
with the usual Christmas crowd, most of
them unheedful of the fire toward which Blink
hurrying.
With each step the crowd grew denser. the ex-
citemcnt greater. Occasionally few people
came hurrying in the opposite direction and from
these Blink heard lot of mixed rumors. But
what he did hear made him rush the faster. It
was the Regent theater; an explosion that seemed
to start fire all the theater at once, panic,
and a score or more of people supposed to have
been lost.
For a moment Blink shuddered at what he
felt was a narrow escape for Skeeter and him.
self. But his boyish excitement gave little room
for sentiment and he became all intent upon
getting
"CouIdnt You Stop ltT'
rf fvn
to draw farther in. They stopped near by and
one said:
4Ny God, Gallagher There's people been
killed Wasn't there no way? Couldn't you
stop it?"
allow could stop it?" came the growing reply.
81 had the two marked tanks stored away in
props room, fixed SOS 1 could turn 'em on last
thing before left after the house closed. Every
thing was o. K. 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. Well, there was
nothin' to it had to get 'em out. l was maxim
slow work SOS the scene would be over, but the
stage manager was fiery. He had them things
connected In second, turned em on, and when
the gasolene spray hit them red-hot limestones
in the lamp-My God! never seen anything like
it, Both tanks burst together, and-you know
the rest"
The two men were silent for moment then,
where's the manager. Jim|"
81 don't know" was the reply Blink heard.
ave 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 dull
crash of falling walls, the shouts of iremen ane
an increased cracking of the flames held the
men speechless for a moment while Blink crawled
to the edge of the areaway. Then:
allow about Collins? He might blow. Let's go
to the hospital and talk to him. TIN be safer"
There was another pause, then the reply: II
never got the name of the hospital. don't know
where he is.'
you don't !" came the ast0unded voice. "Then
will have TO beat it. This is no 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-fed alley, turned back,
ning purposely stumbled against them, and
stood painting for breath