Upon the stage was a frightened group of white-faced girls all clinging together, watching with dilated eyes the melting of the crowd round the door, and the increasing volume of smoke rolling in.
Effie’s father had pushed his way upwards and was on the stage, holding his daughter closely in his arms, whilst Sheila had run to Oscar at the first hint of danger, and the two were standing together, he striving to keep her calm, whilst she was piteously asking if they could not get out by one of the windows. She knew the hall was on fire.
May’s brothers had taken possession of her and another girl-actor who had nobody with her. North had climbed up to see if there was any reasonable chance of rescue from the street. It was very plain that to go out into the larger hall was only to change one peril for another. Lionel Benson came up and said—
“Look here, North, this place is almost clear now. I’ll go and have a look what is happening below. If there’s a crush and panic there and the exits are choked, we’d better shut the doors upon ourselves and attract attention from without. The building is solid enough, that won’t burn easily. It’s the flimsy flummery that’s caught alight. Hark at that screaming below. I’m afraid things are bad there. Don’t let our girls go out into it just yet. We may be safer here. I’ll go and look and report.” And, in fact, as Lionel was speaking, there was a backward recoil into the hall of many who had left it. Miss Adene came in with a pale face, saying to North who eagerly met her—
“They are getting the children out as fast as they can. I trust there will be no lives lost; but it is a terrible sight, with all the draperies in a blaze, and flakes of fire falling down from the burning festoons. The firemen are here. I have seen brass helmets; I think they will stop the choking of the exits, but I would rather be here with May. Is the child very much frightened? Let me go to her.”
May and Sheila both ran forward at sight of Miss Adene. Their faces were white beneath the stage paint; they clasped her hands, and cried out piteously—
“Oh, Miss Adene, oh, Cousin Mary! What is it? What is happening? Is it very bad? Oh, please tell us! Can’t we get out? Must we stay here to be——”
They could not get out the awful word; they were trembling like aspens. Miss Adene took a hand of each and said—
“Nothing can happen to us but what our heavenly Father permits. We will ask Him in our hearts to bring us safely out of this, and I think He will. Brave men are at work to put down the danger. They are getting the hose into the building, and I think they will soon get the fire under. I think we are better here than swelling the number below. See, they have shut out the smoke now! Suppose you come and change your dresses? You will be more comfortable then; and for the next ten minutes I think you may be sure you will not have to move.”
Trembling and terrified, yet half reassured, the girls allowed themselves to be led into the dressing-room beyond, where others had crowded, as though to get as far off as possible from the sounds below and the terrible, choking smoke-wreaths. The windows were open, and here there was little to be heard or seen. They hurried into their own dresses, listening and talking in breathless undertones the while, whilst messengers went to and fro, and Mr. North sat holding Effie in his arms, the shock having been quite too much for her, and culminating in an acute attack of breathlessness which the smoke-laden air seemed to aggravate.