The Little Warrior

ed in three minutes and that all an audience has to do in an emergency is to walk, not run, to the nearest exit, fire in the theatre has lost a good deal of its old-time terror.

never look the part. To the lay eye they seem just the sort of thing that will blaze quickest. Moreover, it ha

n. The clatter of feet almost drowned the shouting. A moment before it would have seemed incredible that anything cou

atly desired to be outside, but it was bad form to rush and jostle. The men were assisting the women into their cloaks, assuring them the while that it was "all right" and that they must not be frightened. But another curl of smoke had crept out just before the asbestos curtain comple

ooking from above, one could have seen a sort of shudder run through the crowd. It

d, the hand of a man who had not lost his head. A

ob. You might get hurt. There's n

ed to show that she was shaken. Panic was knocking at th

g a difficult smile, "it would b

the man beside her. "The same thought occurred to me. We can str

them. For an instant a little spasm of pique stung her at the thought that Derek had deserted her. She groped her

and the smell of burning was formi

It smells worse than it really is. And,

stage there came a sound of chopping. Jill's companion moved quickly to the switchboard, groped, found a handle, and turned it. In the narrow space between the corner of the proscenium and the edge of the asbestos curtain lights flashed up: and simultaneously there came a sudden diminution of the noise from th

ight, and you'll be at the stage-door. I think, as there seems no one else around to do it, I'd better

he narrow opening in

and ge

dventure. If he stayed, she must stay. To go now through the safety of the stage-door would be abominable desertion. She listened, and found that she could hear plainly in spite of the noise. The smoke was worse

on why you should take my word, but fortunately I can give you solid proof. If there were any danger, I wouldn't be

carrying an axe in blackened

rout

ed at him

e cast his axe down with a clatter.

ere her ally was still addressing an audience

nted out round the

move on. We're clearing out. There's nothing we can do. It's got too muc

squeezing back th

smoke. "You're a little soldier! Well, Augustus, what's on your

'll tell you wot's o

e guess. I've got it!

gustedly. Flippancy at such a m

pping it,

nk alike! We are

ter! And d

t, damn quick! You

w, but heat. Across the stage little scarlet flames were shooting, and something large and hard,

enquired her companion of the st

er briefly, and coughed rasp

Strange how the drama anticipates life! At the end of act two there was a scene where S

here the air, though tainted, was comparatively fresh. Jill drew a deep

d hands. "Go and get a drink

k you

d told us, and we had never noticed there was a fire! Charred bones, bel

e stage-door. Shall we creep

tch, plainly perplexed. He was a slow thinker and a man whose life was ruled

s about a fire

friend

Jill. "Did you hear a

'ere yelling there's a fir

re a little longer, you'll get it in the small of the back. Take the advice of an old friend w

urned this over in h

!" he said. "That's what I'm supposed to do. Stay 'ere till e

how to help you. It's a matter for your own conscience. I don't want to lure you from the burning deck: on the other hand, if you stick on here, yo

the th

I should leave quietly and unostentatiously now. Tomorrow, if you wish it, and i