Evening star., 1939-10-22
Il Short Story Complete on This Page

rlVeterS gave
final salute to bleak sunset Overalled gnomes
along thread-lke girders three hundred feet in the
air and started down the skeleonof future office building
The night watchman coming duty didn't dare look at
them He didn't need to. All day in his Dreams had
danced empty space and rveters had punched his
aching brain. He and heard them STILL
Homegong workmen streamed past. Several paused
with Hello. Tom. How're they comin? Chances wavered
from the watchmans forced grin and his Swell Be okay
soon. They didn't believe Tom Ross. They knew Tom
Ross didn't believe himself. They it in sagging shoul
ders, lpness of sttrim muscular frame, blank eyes.
The ean ruggedy built face shouldn't be DID, but was
turned so in three months since Tom Ross slipped
skyline girder with nothing under it. He had saved his
body by chance grip but he had killed his
How're the wife and kid Ross" the boss asked as he
said goodnight.
Ross WINGED Pretty fair Livin in the countrys built
em up But hell of is with these wages gotta get
fiat in town."
You'll be in shape for real job soon You'll come
back, the boss doomed
Sure It's nothing but skyline tters Doc says
Alone Ross shrugged hopeessly. IF you to
that wife and baby get EN- into the country" Doc had
told him Then lately Doc had said You've got what
they call shell shock in the army May last years. May snap
out of it suddenly"
Ross added that up Too late for big Molly and little
Molly, sitting in aress tenement, by the time he
came back. He glared at the dingy apartment house
fankng the building frame The Ross quarters would
be All because he'd been stumbling ape. His
knees went limp he lived the ragged basement
pit and tool house way down there swinging and leapng
up toward him. He felt the wracking jolt as his arm
camped the girder And the times since then when he'd
tried low girders step and he went fiat his belly
clutching with arms and legs dog SICK
He hudded oyer his small charcoal fire between rounds
Gradually traffic stopped Old Brady, night mailman at
the apartments, went BY How'd you like swap jobs
cacklpd do is at he
Finally Ross had only old Bradys beacon in the apartment
house hall window for company
twas midnight when he Brady light Pickering and
turning murky red. moment Ross stared with slack
jawed curiosity He shifted wood smoke Loose muscles
whipped tight. Children asleep up there Fire.! 1t was
the booming of the oldtme Tom Ross he made the
house alarm box the and back to the apartment
entrance like legged whrwnd No answer to pound
. ing and ringing He smashed window and eaped into
somebody's living room. House afre" he shouted and
tore open the hall door,
Smoke blocked his breath Flames bursting from
the oldfashioned elevator shaft and roaring up that OIL
smeared fue Blood-red serpents wgged across stair
ueads beside it. basement fire. after long smoderng
uddeny mushroomed into The elevator cage
was chared ruin. Cropping, choking, Ross found Brady
Unconscious at the switchboard and dragged him out
Back at the stairs Ross held his breath and raced up
smodering reads The air clearer above. But flames
from the shaft licked agedried floors and walls on each
landing. Shouting and pounding DOORS Ross raced on
fight after fight, stopping to gulp air at hall windows
Wldfyed faces peered out. Take fire escapes!" Ross
roared Sres filled the building Sirens walled outside
On telast eight night gowned woman hurted through
smoke into his arms. MY baby! she screamed Rear
that way" She waved frantic directing arm. Door
slammed and locked when came out to what the
matter"
Take fire escape in there" He pushed her toward an
open door and made the fight in leaps Flames
shot from the top of the elevator shaft Ross crashed the
womans door and gulped air in little inner hail. Next it
& ##E
~ n 49,
s 6s
E@ 1>1x GaUv
.-s-s -
a 49, Illustrated