Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-01-15
ONE KIND
OF A HERO
By JOHN B. OXFORD
Copyright

Iheh Adu opeIeu the last OF tne
smoke vents in the roof of the burn
ing piano factory the explosion came
The whole building rocked with the
force of it, and the roof beneath their
feet undulated in ar alarming fashion.
Great clouds of copper-hued smoke
shot upward through the holes that
had just been opened.
The three probationers looked oues-
tioningly at one another with blanch-
ed faces. One of them turned, as if
mvoluntarily, toward the open scuttle
by which they had gained the roof,
but before he could take a step in
that direction Reilly's hand was laid
firmly on his shoulder and Reilly's big
voice was giving assurance to all
three impartially:
THAT amt nOthin' but hot air. More
noise'n anything else. Git your mauls
now an bust in them headlights over
In the corner"
Reilly, turning to steady his men
once again, found he was alone. At the
second explosion the probationers had
scurried unceremoniously to the open
scuttle. Two of them had already dis
appeared within, and the third, a man
named Kerrigan, had just reached the
opening when Reilly spied him and
charged toward him, believing hoarse-
ly at the top of his voice:
Here, you damned cutters! Come
back here, dyer hear? Come back, you
white-livered Tables ~
The man at the scuttle made a mo-
ton as if he were about to step in.
side. In a sudden blind rage Reilly
tore off his helmet and hurled it with
all his strength at the mar before him.
1t flew true as an arrow and caught
kerrigan squarely on the left cheek.
The heavy rim cut a great cash in
the flesh, and the force of the impact
sent Kerrigan sprawling backward at
full length. Before he could get to his
feet Reilly was on him.
"Yer would, would yer?" he snarled
between his teeth, reaching down to
twist his fingers into the collar of the
PROSTATE mans rubber coat.
ooh, yer would, would yer? I'll learn
you a few things about quittin', yer
damned little scuti
He yanked Kerrigan roughly to his
feet and pushed him forward, at the
same time landing a vigorous kick.
go on now, and bust in them dead
lights. I'll do for them other two the
first time I lay eyes on 'em, s'help me
I will"
"Don't be a damned fool any longer
than you have to-" Reilly yelled at
him. "Git your maui an git into them
headlights"
He took a step toward Kerrigan,
who slowly backed away. In his re-
treat he tripped over one of the mauls,
which had been flung aside in the re-
cent flight to the scuttle. He stopped
quickly and picked it up. A sudden
blaze of anger and hatred came to his
eyes. He leered at the lieutenant like
a cornered beast.
"You keep away from me, under
stand" he said thickly. Don't you
come a step nearer Keep back!"
His voice rose to almost a scream;
he swung the maui threateningly
above his head.
Reilly caught his breath in a great
gasp. "What" he yelled. whats
this? Would you be tryin' mutiny on
me?"
He drew back a step, lowered his
head, and hunched his shoulders, as if
he intended to rush the nan before
him but at that moment a voice shout
ing stridently through a megaphone
from a roof across an intervening al
ley drew the attention Of both bel
~ligerents.
Get off that roofi" it beloved.
"Get off that roof! It's going down in
a minute! J"
Reilly sprang at the man facing him,
swung him about, and showed him on
before him.
run for the tank" he roared above
the din; sits our only chance!"
Stumbling blindly, choking, gasping
for breath, the two men pushed across
the roof, gained the tank, and scram
bled up the footholds on it's side Just
as the remainder Of the roof went
crashing down.
They reached the top of the tank,
swung themselves over the side, and
clinging desperately to the edge, low.
cred themselves into the cooling water,
which, fortunately for them, nearly fill
ed the tank.
The heat from the blazing pile be-
low was terrific. Moreover, 1t was only
a question of time when the steel sup
ports Of the tank would warp and
twist and the whole thing topple over
into the inferno below them. For a
time they chung there, %breathless, 81
lent, spent. Reilly was the first to
speak.
"WeTl be goin' over in a few min |
utes. The supports Of this thing will
warp and let us down." he said with |
the calm Of despair.
"Sure," said Kerrigan simply. His |
voice was quite as steady as Reilly's.
From the street far below CAM the
labored putting Of pumping engines. 1t |