The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-11-04
Brian to the
Rescue
By ALICE DUANE
g by Mcclure Newspaper syndicat
WNU Service

port his uncle had asked him to have
ready that afternoon.
Once or twice that morning he had
been on the verge of interrupting this
report business, finding an excuse to
dictate letter so that even for a
short few minutes he could have had
a reason to have his uncle's very
charming young secretary sitting at
the opposite side of his desk. But
there was always chance that his
uncle might come in unexpectedly
and the report was urgent.
The steady dull drone of machinery
was becoming almost uncomfortable
and then the low, throaty growl fol-
lowed by the high deafening shrek of
the fire alarm.
No special need for alarm, Brian
quickly assured himself. After all,
the factory people had probably been
given specific instructions for orderly
exit from the building in such an
emergency.
The factory side of the building
Brian knew was practically fire proof
but this older section that housed the
executive offices and the office STATS
was OF wooden construction. There
was a sprinkler system and numerous
nre exits. but even then things some
times happen
Brian quickly gathered up the pa
pers strewn on his desk, crammed
them into his coat pockets and dashed
into the large bare room where the
typists and stenographers had their
desks. Most of the desks were al
ready deserted. Girls were hurrying
across the floor TO an exit beyond. He
called to some who fingered and told
them to go without delay.
Where is Miss Mason?' he called
to one of them.
"She ran into the accounting de-
partment." the girl told him.
Brian muttered an oath to himself
and dashed forward to the account
ing department. Miss Mason was
kneeling beside small safe in one
of the smaller offices.
In fraction of a second he reached
her, took the papers from her hands,
threw them in the safe and without
waiting to explain lifted her in his
arms.
"What are you doing?" she asked,
and then realizing that there was no
alternative let her slender young body
relax in his strong young arms.
There is no terrible hurry" she
told him, as he hurried down the hall
But Brian assured her that he was
taking no chances. He would have
carried her down the fire escape IL
she had not so seriously objected. In
stead he went down the stairs ahead
of her, turning back at every step to
assure himself of her safe descent
Alice Mason breathed a sigh of re-
lief when she had reached the ground
and realized that none of the girls had
been looking on.
"They will all be over at the other
SIDE" she told Brian, who stood look.
Ing down at her In friendly, DOS
sessive way.
'You had me worried for a min.
ute," he said. "And don't you ever
take time to put letters in the safe
again."
"But that's orders from your un-
cle." Alice said. There's always the
chance that letter might be valu-
able-so just as a matter of drill we
always do it."
Matter of drill" Brian repeated
blankly. always do It'll What do
you mean?"
"Just that every time we have fire
drill we are supposed to do precisely
what we would If there was a real
fire"
Brian looked amazed and then
laughed.
"The jokes on me-" he told her.
But how did l know 1t was only
drill? No one told me-"
"How did you happen to run across
me?" Alice asked. Weren't you go.
ing to leave the building?" She was
trying not to laugh at him.
mot until I'd found you," he said.
"You see, that's the first thing /
thought of when / heard that shrieking
siren. l suppose l thought was saw.
ing your life or something-anyway,
I'm glad for your sake the other girls
didn't see the rescue" He looked
little crestfallen and foolish.
II wouldn't have minded, If you
hadn't" Alice told him. Il started to
cry out at first, because was so sur
prised. Butt didn't mind. I'd been
hoping all morning you'd send for me
to take some dictation-"
"And I'd been wishing | had a
chance"
A gong rang. Alice said 1t was the
signal to return to the building. She
wasn't laughing now. "Tm very crate
full to you"
"Oh, pshaw," Brian told her, 81
really made mistake-and incl
dentally let you know, as you must
know now, that I'm seriously inter
ested."
Couldn't we talk about that some
other time" Alice suggested THAT
is-Tve got TO get back in line to go In
with the other girls" she was walk
ing away from him now-"but I'm In
terested. too"
LET'S talk about 1t tonight at din
ner," he called softly. "Tll call you
In for dictatioD and we can make
plans So long Alice"
$50 long. Brian Thanks for the
rescue. And next time there's to be
drill I'll LET yon know"
R-Asf--l