Page:Love and Learn (1924).pdf/344

 "Safe?" yells Hemingway. "I'm ruined! This woman had me locked in my room tonight and I missed my performance!"

"Then she has saved your life!" says Charlemagne Rutledge. "Haven't you heard! They're crying the extras now. The roof of your theater collapsed, man, and hundreds were killed! The streets were closed by the police for blocks around. I couldn't get through their infernal fire lines until eleven o'clock and I missed my own performance. I don't know how my understudy got through with the part and"

"Ha, ha!" butts in Julius joyfully. "You'll know when you see the morning papers old dear!"

Hemingway Bryce has turned triple pale when he hears of his narrow escape. He's worse shook up than I am and that's a fact!

"I—I—forgive me," he stammers to me. "I—I owe you my life. I could kiss you!"

"Try it!" says Julius, the ex-gentle chorus man, "and'll murder you!" And he slides his arm around me.

But, honestly, I had nothing to do with the roof of that theater falling in. That was somebody else's idea, no fooling!