Show N 1 1 A S afi aca t someone whispered nervously to a huor ono or two men lifted theli their heads and drew quick breaths people glanc glanced d from side to side iside and a law few foot feet ad uneasily then a tiny bulf of oc smoke came from the left wing and travelled as far as tho the middle of wo stage it was followed by a larger rolling cloud the effect was instantaneous biral shrieked a shrill voice and a woman started up frantically firel firel in an instant tho the huge theatre was a seething swaying ti mass from all sides burst screams sobs and oaths for a few seconds people were pushed in purposeless groups hither and thither then suddenly tho the crowd broke into rocking sections each pushing fl fighting litang tearing towards the nearest exit I 1 in tho the middle of tho the house very still eatn eat P group of three tho the woman was in tho the middle tho husband on her right the other man on her left for tho the first fow few seconds it seemed as it they must bo be swept off their seats then with a quick movement tile tho other man wheeled halt round on ills chaft chalat put ono one hand on the back of tho the womans comans seat and tho the other on the seat before her the husband silently followed ills his example they were both big strong men man their hands mot met in a steady grip behind rud end in front of her thus till tho the rush was over ovic they formed a human cago cage for for protect protection lon shunting oft off by moir braced rigid frames their crowding frantic neighbors thank you she eho said qui tely when tho the middle of tho the theatre was deserted 1 I have bomb to bo be touched by such animals sho she gave a hur bur ried glance at tile tho nearest mass of humanity and then fixed her eyes whimsically on the smoke clouded stage in front what do they remind one of sl she 0 asked as though thinking aloud it tho he other man ilan who answered pigs lib he said contemptuously pigs when tho the trough lifts just been oiled filled crowding toward it she halt hal f turned her head towards soda I 1 mean sho she paused shuddering only go EO she added faintly what did sho she mean did she know what she was saying probably not ho he decided what had lo ho said ill iselt a minute ago ile he not remember what did anything matter now 11 ho a word the other man stared straight in front of him wa ills face was a maak stu for a minute they sat eat still then lie he turned round come he be said in an ordinary voice it is time to move sho she gave him her hand and ho he hcan hallad her over chairs and wooden for forms till they were v oro at tho the back of tho the building vero hero she asked no ho he said and ami spread hip coat on tho the floor Il hero billere please the nearer the ground tho the loss less smoke you know she sat down silently and motioned him to sharo sharli tho the coat then suddenly jhb laughed its queer it she said that wo we should think about getting our clothes dusty now lie ho did not answer ila ho was twisting a button on ills hla overcoat rou refund na and round it camo came oft off in hla his land hand suddenly he bo spoke you aro are very brave ho he said silo sho drew a quivering breath 11 im trying to bo be brave enough tor for two she said in a low voice ila ho mado made no reply ho be did not want to understand im glad she added hurriedly that wo we moved perhaps he will not land us here lie ho turned swiftly with a rush a of f joy E lizabeth elizabeth I 1 I 1 lie ho cried then you are content hero here with me she brushed her land hand across her eyob oh I 1 dont know what im saying im angry and distressed and humiliated I 1 dont want to die I 1 but it if ive got to id rather ho be near somebody bravo brave liko like like you elizabeth ho ho said passionately dont you know she started oh hush she eho murmured it la Is so eo near the on end d that Is just why he said and nw iba 4 x 4 4 X A SHE YOUVE HURT YOUR liand HAND ITS BLEEDING him yes she sald said gravely they do look like that suddenly the tha fireproof curtain bogan to move mova db thank godt godl shrieked a fashion ably dressed woman her face made hideous by tear fear A sea of other faces stamped with every shado shade bt bf terror and ferocity lamed towards tho the stage at the cry r tin an instant tho the tumult sank to some thing thine like silence lenco sl hope and thankful ness arose in a thousand breasts then tho the tumult began again its ito oh its stuck and the fight for life continued in all its sic enang liening cowardly savagery have we any chancel chance naked asked the woman simply r for or a moment neither answered then taca again it was the tha other ilan alan who spoke unless they get tho the curtain down in time none ho he answered there are no other exits exit I 1 know tho the place well veil it wont bo be the fire probably but the in a minute or two wo we emst move further back irom from it lie ho spoke with admirable restraint and then suddenly tho the husband stood un rn they both turned towards him ills fade face was gray and his bis lips trembled not this way ho be murmured in a shaking ali ah merciful heaven not again this way the woman quivered as beneath a lash and her faco face became dra drawn wn johnl she aha said sharply johnt john ire ho started slightly yes sho she would riot not let her eyes meet his please go away she sald said in a low voice ito ho hosi hesitated a moment iff what for to bo naked silo sho stirred impatiently oh ob I 1 dont care oct art a whisky and soda if you know where to find it IL or or perhaps better leave out tho the laughed recklessly in a few minutes it must all ail bo be over wo we a right to make tho the most ot of them do you love lore me elizabeth ile he drew her towards him and she dill did not resist silo sho was thinking shamefacedly of at the grayness grayn of her husbands face as she had last seen it tho the blood of a dozen generations of plo pioneers and warriors was surging through her own yelus veins and sho she scorned impending fate yes sho she said eald absently 1 I believe I 1 do all ah say it again ha urged without tho the believe eTe the smoke was rapidly thickening sho she tried not to think of it 1 I love my lovo love with a D B she said flippantly because he is brave and I 1 hate my him with a C because ho he la is f rk coward a coward ills arms relaxed mid suddenly denly ali ah dear dont he cried la Is that all Is that tho the reason all sho she echoed it enough 11 no ho he said bitterly im a call cad but not as bad as all that aro are you YOL blind dont you know what was the matter with him ile ho was afraid she aho whispered my husband af afraid neither of them noticed that in front of the blazing stage tho the fireproof Ore proof curtain had suddenly finished its arrested dewent descent de went ani that a semi lull ensued yes he be cried with a revulsion of loyalty to his friend afraid of losing yon von surely you know what happened to ills his father and mother you oven even wonder what ho be meant by not again this way she shook her head bead wives know so little of husbands ba bachelor bolor experience peri ence she eho romin reminded dad him with a wan smile they were vero burnt to death ilent li when he be was wai n bov he be eam illde alko this in a theatre ila ho was with them the floor floon ing cave way taking them both with it all leaving him on the broken odee sate safe sho she covered her faco face her hands hand L ohl oh she eho murmured I 1 know what have I 1 done lie told mo me once ho he went on that it had left him with tho the feeling that fire would never touch him but that to think of oc anyone ho he eared cared for bellig in a uro firo mauo him well what you saw they were silent for an instant hullo ho he said suddenly got the curtain down tile two stood up firemen fireman and policemen were everywhere no danger no danger tio tho words worda passed from mouth to mouth and though they were not strict ly true the effect of the lowered cur ta tain I 1 n w was as magical the crowd was pro pre copti bly thinner noticeably calmer but round each exit were gruesome proofs of tho the violence of tho the panic elizabeth they looked fit at euh each other Us its john sho she said faintly yes ho he said and hla his smile sallo was bitter its ita john goodbye good bye forget it all elizabeth do you know he be looked at his watch its all hap period tn in less than ton tea minutes really she eho said it cant bo be pos sible but her eyes were searching tor for her husband the abo other man blan noticed it eliza both oell I 1 ho he said half shamefacedly yes she eho answered her eyes search ing the crowd you aro are going to make up to him r somehow for for saying that to him her eyes softened and she held out her hand that was nice of you she said gently yes yea I 1 am going to make up to him I 1 pray god ho be will never know what I 1 thought elizabeth lie he had found her bar at last tho the other man blan slipped away ive found a way ho he exclaimed breathlessly como along oh sho she cried youve hurt your hand its bleeding ile he held out the other no no its nothing I 1 had rather a bother with tho the doors and windows why ive been so eo long sho she followed him silently when they were in their carriage aud and on their way homo home there was an aw awkward k silence elizabeth had just finished bandaging his bis hand with the aid of both their handkerchiefs dear ho be said at last would you mind telling dowby mo why you you asked me to go away sho she looked at him a reproachful pout must you inquire into all your cifes weaknesses sho she asked 1 I only wondered of nf she interrupted led 1 I knew you would and I 1 meant to tell you but despise me bouvo got a very lc wife john when 1 I asked you to go I 1 was sho she went on stead steadily lly PI 1 I was nearly dead with fright and I 1 bear to have you to see sea it so BO I 1 said eald tho the first thing I 1 thought of to get rid of you i watlo I 1 got over it what did I 1 say I 1 know what I 1 was saying john but 1 I did get et over ofer it ills hla faco face cleared and ho he tent lent and kissed her ber his voice was very tender elizabeth my wife he said eald do you yoa know he ie laughed lightheart light heart edly ive been worrying like eve everything ry about it I 1 fancied you thought I 1 was in a funk about myself 1 I 1 I thought you meant that she stared at him then burst out laughing hysterically and threw her bar arms round his neck oh you dear darling old stupid sho she cried dont you know yet that women never mean what they seem to mean ile ho made a mock gesture of desp despair air so now that you seem to mean you are well rather fond of me E elizabeth liza what do you really mean meant she smiled up at him swiftly that mat 1 I consider you just perfect she eho wills whis pored id i upstairs in their own room when he ie had gone down to lo give some orders to 0 the servants elizabeth wandered to the ho window her eyes were troubled suddenly udd finly she sho knelt down and burled her face in her hands god grant she supplicated sup that ho he will never know enow I 1 do love him I 1 have always loved him but that I 1 should have thought him af afraid sketch |