Part 7 (1/2)
Everybody was crazy, it seemed, but this had nothing to do with Hiram in carrying out his mission. He ran up to this heavy-set man and cried:
”Are you Mr. Kenoke?”
”Sure! Get out the way! What d'ye want? Now, Miss Worthington, run for the ladder. Hurry up, girlie! Come on, Blair! Quick! Quick!
What d'ye want--you?”
Hiram gulped and searched his brains. ”Miss Lucy Dalles says to tell you to have Mr. Blair carry Miss Worthington out of the door. She's fainted, she said, and then he faints and falls. They lay there, and another fella--I forget that name--takes a letter from Mr. Blair's pocket and runs away. Mr. What's-his-name and Miss Worthington still lie there. Mr.--er--let's see--there's no makeup. And it's a peach, and you won't regret it.”
”Humph! All right; I get you. I'll take a chance. Lucy Dalles, you say? Thanks. Get that, Collins? 'Bout ten feet, I guess. After this. Now, out of the way, please. All ready, there! Let her go!
Now, up with that ladder, deary! Get in there! Get in the picture Worthington!”
Hiram stepped back. The man with the camera began turning a crank on one side, and a low whirring noise blended softly with the roar of the rus.h.i.+ng water. Hiram saw dripping men and women dancing about like maniacs before the smoking door.
He did not wait for more. He had done his duty, and he hurried back for his reward.
”Did you do it? Did you see him?”
Lucy Dalles, with parted lips, was straining toward him as he cleaved his way back to her.
Hiram nodded.
”Oh, what did he say?”
”He said: 'All right. I'll risk it.' He said a lot more, but I guess it wasn't to me.”
”Well, you're all right,” she said, with a beaming smile. ”D'ye hear, Minnie? Mr. Kenoke's going to take it!”
Minnie, a freckle-faced girl, was busily chewing gum and watching the spectacle. She indifferently replied, ”Yea,” and craned her neck away to focus some new development in the fire fight.
Lucy at once ignored her.
”Say, that was great, all right! I'm much obliged, I'm sure. That'll mean something to me.” She was looking straight at Hiram. Now she hesitated, then, a bit fl.u.s.tered, concluded, ”That was all right.”
Hiram grinned and bobbed his head.
She looked at him in confusion a little longer, then turned to Minnie.
”Goodness! I must get back in,” she said hurriedly.
Still Minnie gave no heed, and Lucy faced Hiram once more.
”I said I'd tell you about it, didn't I? Well, I will--that is, if you care?”
Hiram bobbed his head again.
She looked through the jeweler's window at a small bra.s.s clock.