“Now if only one of the regular photographers doesn’t barge in here before I’m ready!” Flash told himself.
Taking another camera from the equipment case, he left the newspaper building. Crossing the street to the café, he took a table by the window where he could watch the main entrance of the Ledger. Presently he saw Fred Orris arrive.
“Now my act begins!” Flash thought. “And if it doesn’t come off as I plan, I’m going to look plenty silly.”
He quickly left the café and returned to the Ledger office. As he swung through the revolving doors of the front entrance he saw that luck was favoring him. Fred Orris had paused in the circulation office to chat for a moment with Old Herm. He would be able to clip two birds with one stone!
“Where’s the fire, Evans?” Fred Orris demanded as he rushed past the two men.
“Big story!” Flash tossed over his shoulder, barely pausing. “Didn’t you hear about the riot?”
“Riot! No! Where?”
“Silverman’s Chain Store warehouse. Employees have been on a strike there for a week. Tonight the fireworks started!”
The “fireworks” consisted of a rock having been thrown through a warehouse window, but Flash allowed the two men to draw their own conclusions.
Fred Orris gazed after the young photographer with an expression of mingled envy and irritation.