Evening star., 1925-10-18
AS Cop He Felt That Romance Favored His
Rival, Fireman

came from the street below. But
| clouds Of black smoke were now
| rolling from the lower floors. screen
| ing from view Of those in the street
| the women in the window and the
| two officers Just above. The girl in
! the cap bore a faint resemblance to
| Nora McCarron.
| Mulhall whipped Off his jacket and
unbuckled his cartridge belt.
| Think you can hold me, Babe?''
| "If l can't" said Rizzoli, '1ll go
| overheard with you. Take the police
| grip now and hang on for your life"'
| Head down and seven stories above
| the street, Mulhall was lowered out OF
the window, trusting only to Babe
Rizzoli's grip on his ankles. He grasp
! ed the nearest girl by the wrists, and
then felt the skin being ripped from
| his shin-bones as Rizzoli drew him up
over the window ledge. Again he went
down, and again he brought up girl.
| There remained only the forewoman.
This time he took the precaution OF
| using his handouts, for his fingers
| were numb and he was dizzy from the
| rush of blood to his head. He snapped
| steel bracelet on his own wrist and
managed to lock the other half around
the appraised wrist Of the woman. 1t
was well he did So for she tainted as
soon as he swung her from the ledge.
| The added weight told on him: smoke
and heat aSSailed his lungs, and for an
| instant nothing held him to his
prisoner save two inches Of steel chain.
| For a moment he thought they were
| lost. Above him he heard the ageniZed
groaning of Babe Rizzoli. as the strain
| ing giant struggled. Then, the train
| ing Of the police gym told its story.
The anchor man" Of the department,
blue veins standing out on his fore
head, gave a final mighty heave. and
! won the tug of war with death!
Mulhall unlocked his cuffs. gathered
an unconscious form in his arms and
followed his comrade, who was drag
ging the two girls toward the skylight.
Rizzoli Ieaped and pulled himself up.
One after another. Mulhall managed to
lift the women within reach of the
sergeant's arms. The heat was almost
unbearable.
"Go ahead shouted MulhaN ION
your way with 'em Babe. III get up!''
Rizzol made his way along the roof,
carrying one woman and plotting the
others. His subordinate gathered him.
self, jumped and caught the rim of the
skylight. Then the rotten frame gave
way, and Joe Mulhall crashed back
ward. His head hit a packing case,
and he felt himself drifting away
dreamily on silent outbound tide.
~
IT was the next day before Mulhall
became aware of the presence OF
flowers, and by the same token knew
that he must be dead. Poppies, pale
gold peoples. mass of them almost
within his reach. Now, what was 1t
they stood for? Nora McCarron, of
course! oh, glory, he could hear her
voice:
"Joe, dear, please, Joe. It's Moral"
That settled 1t. he was in heaven,
No police harness on his frame, no
thunder of traffic in his ears, no fire
men cluttering up the landscape. He
chuckled as he realized that he'd hung
it on Otto Nelson at last!
Nora'S sweet voice again:
Look. Uncle Jim, his lips are NOV
ing! He's trying to whisper some
thing What is it. Joe? This is Nora
McCarron."
Mulhalrs eyes looked into the blue
orbs Of Cons daughter.
Sweetheart" he whispered.
Nora's cheeks famed. Mulhall be-
came aware that he wasn't in heaven
after all. He was in the Emergency
Hospital and by his side stood the
uniformed figure of Capt. James w.
Collins. great relief was reflected
in the latter's eyes, but his oice was
quizzical as ever.
Easy now, easy-you glory-hound.
Nothin' wrong with you save few
burns. some barked shins and a bump
on the head. You'll be reportin' on
again in a day or two. Well, Nora,
I'll be going along. See that Joe don't
fall out of bed
1t was a golden opportunity for Joe.
living there all afternoon with one of