The smoke grew thicker back there where the young girl struggled
to reach the side exit.
Walter Mason and her other friends had escaped. Nan was glad of that. She
did not even question why none of them came back to help her.
Nan did not know that the moment they appeared in the side alley, leading
back to the rear of the theatre, a policeman with more zeal than good
sense hustled them away from the door and would not let even Walter
return when he found that Nan and Pearl were not with the party.
"Ye can't go back in there, me laddy-buck," declared the officer. "Is it
crazy ye are? Phat's in that the-a-tre will have to stay there, if it
can't git out be itself. Orders is ter let nobody inside."
"But something's happened to Nan!" cried Walter. "She and that other girl
are perhaps overcome with the smoke. They'll smother!"
"Be still, I tell yez," commanded the officer, putting the boy back with
one hand. "Orders is orders. Ye can't go back."
The situation quite overpowered Walter. He could not break through to
help Nan and Pearl. His own sister was crying to him and begging him to
come out of danger. Bess was screaming for Nan. Linda stood by, shaking
with terror and cold. She doubtless realized that she had been the cause
of the catastrophe.
And then, suddenly, little Inez broke away from Bess's restraining hand,
and darted toward the exit, out of which the smoke was now pouring.
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