Evening star., 1925-10-18
"a fireman." said Capt. Collins

"A fireman." said Capt. Collins.
Yes. captain. and he's stationed
across the street from her. Two
weeks day duty and two weeks night
He gets a chance at her coming and
going. Now, If you was to give me
the day watch on the same beat, I'd be
eternally grateful"
'Of course, I WILL" said Capt. Col
lins. THE firemen are always but
ting into police affairs. Is he good
looking, Joe?"
Mulhall nodded gloomily.
They usually are" sighed the cap
tain. Go back to your beat and don I
let that fireman show you up. If you
do, III have you up before the COM
m1ssioners. Wait a minute-can you
play ball by any chance?"
II was center fielder on a high
school team"
Fine! I'll stick you in the lineup
when we cross bats with the f1remen
for the Widows and Orphans Fund.
Does your girl like ball games?"
II think she does" said Mulhall.
This other fellow is Otto Nelson, cap
tain OF the firemen's team. He was
a professional in the Coast League,
one Of them fence-busters you read
about"
Collins grunted his disgust and then
nodded dismissal "That'll be all, Joe.
I'll give you the day beat. Report to
me what progress you're making. BY
the way, what's her name?"
Mora McCarron, captain"
Collins looked up quickly. mot old
Cons daughter? The same? You
show good judgment! Nora went to
school with my daughter. and know
her like she was my own. Why, that
girl amt going to throw herself away
on no fireman, is she?"
Not if ! can help it. captain"
x X y
RUT the path of true love is no trail
II of rose leaves for a young patrol
man. even though his superior stakes
him to day watch. Mulhall did his
best. But the natural advantages
rested. as usual, with the smoke eater.
Mulhall never had a chance to go
into action with Nora McCarron as
witness. Conversely, the stage was
always set for Lieut.. Otto Nelson.
When he was ready for his entrance.
gongs rang, sirens shrieked. and
Nora had but to look up from her
desk to see the fire apparatus come
pounding into the street. making a
hazardous turn right in front Of her
window. What girl could resist that
sort Of appeal?
1T amt fair" reflected Mulhall.
Not by no manner of figurin'. If
that dumbell Dane was drivin' the
truck, he'd never make that turn once
in a hundred times. He'd have his
eyes on Nora, and he'd go up on
the sidewalk and burn up the whole
lumber yardr'
But the thing that came nearest
to breaking his heart was when he
first beheld Nora wearing the knitted
Oh hat 40 Nv he
skillful hands Of Otto Nelson. There
it was, around the shoulders of the
girl he loved! Around her shoulders!
Heaven help Joe Mulhall,
How can 1 beat that?" he asked
himself What can I do with these
big fists Of mine? Nawthin."
But he was wrong, for that very
afternoon he made valiant use of his
muscular body and heavy hands. He
was passing the time Of day with
Sergt. Babe RiZzoli who weighed 800
pounds and was anchor man on the
champion tug ofwar team Of the
Pacific Coast. The muffied sound of
an explosion reached their ears and
they looked up TO see the smoke
streaming from the seventh story Of
an overall factory across the street.
Mulhall started for the nearest box.
RizZoli yelled after him: Come up
on the roof afterward. Try the ad-
joinin building. This Is gonna be
badr
Mulhall appreciated what Rizzoli
meant. The stairs were narrow. the
escape badly located. and the nearest
apparatus 10 blocks away-blocks
choked, at this hour, with traffic. He
pulled" the box, posted a man there
to signal the first engine, and then
raced back to where a crowd was
already gathering.
A hurried upward glance showed