The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1921-06-13
How Halloran
Made Good

By HAZEL SMITH

WV NNNNNtAN VI wv NA''IttfN hffttt
when lIalloran had sprung to his feet
his eyes stlll closed With sleep. fount
the thick pole and slid down 20 the
stable, first OF his companions. II was
not his first hre, but IL was his first
big one. Everybody knew that II, was
a big one. Why, a whole block Of
t,nements was burning ON the East
aIdel
lie was AZ his post upon the caI
now. holding on grlmly as the vehicle
swung from side 20 side.
Hallorans mind went working bncl;
during that wild journey. lie had
been fireman only six weeks lie
was an ex-eonylct. Nobody knew that
nobody except Chief Porter. And
Porter had believed In him and had
kept his secret faithfully. After three
years In Sing Sing for n crime that
should. at most. have merlted a short
period OF detention In Elmlra reforma-
tory. llalloran had been embItiered
against society. And Porter had found
him and plucked him out OF the mud
and given him his post. Porter be-
lieved In him.
But Eileen. his young wife. did not.
They had been married only three
months when he had stolen n purse.
10 give her those little comforts which
she needed so badly. When he came
out TO freedom Eileen was gone. Her
friends could not be found. Her fam
fly had dispersed. There was no trace
Of her.
Then Porter had found Halloran
and picked him out OF the mud and
made fireman OF him. Some day he
would show Porter that he was worthy
OF his confidence.
The Wild journey was ended In
front OF a block Of frames that sent
up columns Of smoke and spouted fire.
All the occupants Of the tenements
had been removed or fled TO safety.
Mol Suddenly a cry went up from
the multltudes. Far up on the sew
enth story a child was leaning out OF
the window. utterlng feeble cry. A
little brown-halred slip OF a girl, with
outstretched arms and clinginr night
robe, crying in terror as the colllng
smoke surged round her. Ladders had
been run up. "Too shortl" shouted
man. That was all Halloran knew.
He was already upon the lowest part
of the ladder and climbing steadily.
The child still hung In the midst Of
the colllng smoke wreaths and he was
at the top of the ladder. and a full
two stories beneath her.
He poised himself and sprang and
caught the sill Of the window Of the
fifth story; caught 1t and hung there.
Then he drew himself up, stood on the
sill for an instant and plunged into
the hell within.
Two minutes later a gasp went up
from the watchers as they saw q stag
gerlng, smoke-blackened figure appear
at the window Of the seventh story
and drag the child upon the sill. II
was Halloran. Angry tongues Of fire
darted out at him, licked at his
greedy for their prey.
Halloran chung to the sill and looked
down. The crowd was shouting to him
not to jump.
Slowly a ladder upreared itself un-
til 1t reached the Sill. Hallorau felt
for 1t through q cloud Of fiame-tipped
smoke In which whlrled fiery, stlnging
sparks, clung to 1t with his feet,
perched himself upon that swaying
thing and thrust the child into the
arms of the steel-helmeted man who
up to him. And then, when
She had passed downward along the
line, Halioran collapsed into his res
,uer's arms.
At the foot of the ladder was wom-
IN who had broken through the police
ines. So tense was her face with an
suish that they had suffered, her to
pass; and now she clasped the child
o her breast and laughed and crooned
)ver 1t, oblivlous Of all else. The
,hild was scatheless. Not a hair had
)een burned. Halloran's thick coat.
'corched to crisp bore witness E
hat. And Halloran, a flre-blackened
ruin, with burned-off hair and singed
eyebrows and hands that rested limp
y in the surgeons bandages, opened
his eyes to find the woman kneeling
)ver him.
Hell do we'll now" exclaimed the
)olice surgeon.
Sure he willw cried the voice of
Porter, the fire chief, and in his tones
was something that set Halloran's
ioubts at rest for ever.
But 1t was not of Porter that he ,
hought that moment. The burned
yes opened widely, staring into the
ace of the woman at his side. And
he whispered:
"Eileen!" |"
She knew him--had known him. She
lower beside him and laid
Ter head upon his breast, her tears
alling on his face like rain.
"Toml' she whispered. "She's ours
your child and mine. And we shall
e waiting for you, Tom dear, to make
new home for all our lives"
MI R~lI~~At~.