The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-12-12
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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
unendng array of Christmas things At iast
a glittering display of surgical instruments uaz-
zled him; his eyes rested on two long pieces Oh
polished wood crossed a background to the
shining metal pieces, and he stopped, Woe
eyed and Open-mOuthed.
In a moment Blink was out of the line. In an
other hour he home, standing before MS
mother and holding pair of crutches up to hef
astonished gaze, with but fifteen cents left In his
pockets.
HaltingIy 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 Stralght-
ened up excited.
Say look dereI" he exclaimed, pointing
breathlessly to bright glare in the western sky.
Gee VIII yez look at it. Deres a whoppin' big
fire somewheres"
1t was half past ten o'clock when Blink
reached Broadway. The sidewalks were 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
citement greater. Occasionally a 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. 1t
was the Regent theater; explosion that seemed
TO start fire all the theater at once, panic,
and score 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 nearer.
"couIdn't You Stop It7"
Presently the voices Of two men caused Blink
to draw farther in. They stopped near by and
one said
NV God Gallagher! There's people been
killed Wasn't there no way? Couldn't you
stop it?'
GLOW could 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 I 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. I maxim
slow work SOS the scene would be over, but the
stage manager fiery. He had them things
connected in q second, turned 'em, on and when
the gasolene spray hit them red-hot HmestOnes
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 a moment, then,
'Where's the manager, JimP'
'I don't know the reply Blink heard.
eve 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 firemen, and
increased cracking or the names, held the
men speeches. for a moment while Blink crawled
to the edge of the areaway. Then:
"How about Collins? He might blow Let's go
to the hospital and talk TO him. It'll be safer"
There was another pause, then the reply: 'T
never got the name of the hospital. 1 don't know
where he is"
you don'tI" came the astounded voice 'eThen
we 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-i1led alley turned back run
ming, purposely stumbled against them and
stood painting for breath