The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-12-28
N-esE /AsRe.whe excz5Imea N1zy
olazE/ See oaf IzsI NeGho" Z

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 unending array Of Christmas things. At last
q gttering display of Surgical instruments daz-
zed him; his eyes rested on two long pieces or
polished wood crossed ali background to the
shining metal pieces and he stopped, Vide
eyed and open-moutbed,
TsnS Fs sHf 81 Ffg fffe
other hour he was home standing before his
mother and holding pair pf crutehes up to her
astonished gaze with but fifteen cents left in his
pockets
Haltingly Blink told his story to his mother
and asked her to wait until next week for her
Christmas present. at which Mr. Corrigan folded
the boy in her arms until he suddenly straight
ened up excited.
Say look derer he Exclaimed, pointing
breathlessly to bright glareIin the western sky.
Gee! VIII yez look at it. Dhres whoppiD' big
fire somewheres"
1t was half past ten o'clock when Blink
reached Broadway. The sidewalks filed
with the usual Christmas eye crowd, most of
them unheedful of the fire tpward which Blink
was hurrying.
With each step the crowd grew denser, the ex-
citement 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 rhsh the faster, It
was the Regent theater; an explosion that seemed
to start fire all the tlseattr at once, panic
and q score or more of people supposed to have
been lost.
For 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 it?
Presently the voices Of two men caused Blink
to draw farther in. They stopped near by and
one said:
sIy God, Gallagherl There's people been
killed Wasn't there no way9 Couldn't you
stop it?'
"How could / stop it?" came the growing reply.
II 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 0. K, I tell you, until the tanks
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 EN- out. 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 gasoene spray hit them redhot limestones
in the lamp--My God / never seen anything like
III. bOln TANKS DuTSL sCOgelAeT, auu--yOu KNOW
the rest"
The two men were silent for moment, then,
where's the manager, Jim7s
II don't know" was the reply Blink heard.
1--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 dull
crash Of falling walls, the shouts Of fremen, and
an increased cracking Of the flames held the
men speechless for moment while Blink crawled
tc the edge of the areaway. Then.
"How about Collins? lie might blow Let's go
to the hospital and talk to him. Itll be safer"
There was another pause, then the reply: II
nwer got the name Of the hospital. don't know
where he isl
"You .ion'tl" came the astounded voice Then
we will have to beat 1t. 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 all e alley, tssrned back, run.
ming purposely stumbled against them, and
stood painting for breath.