Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-07

of men within, and the profile of the pur-
suer against the hot light of the saloon.
He saw a brute holding pistol in his out
stretched hand. Before Isaac understood
the situation, the weapon shot out two
flames and two staccato reports. These
We're followed by the intense silence which
is like the darkness upon the heels of
lightning.
Isaac's eyes were now strained upon the
creature who was shot. He saw the man
stagger-throw up his hands, and fall. He
heard groan. At that time the murderer
with the smoking revolver was not more
than ten PAGES away. AS he fired, he had
stopped. When he saw his victim fall he
gave a hoarse laugh.
By this time the lights in the saloon
We're put out, and its occupants had fled.
The rustic of human buzzards focking to
the tragedy had begun. A motion that the
murderer made to escape aroused the New
Hampshire boy to fierce sense of justice.
A few bounds brought him by the side of
the ruffian, who looked upon him with as
constituent, and then with infiamed fear.
Isaac furiously struck the pointed pistol
to the pavement, and grasped the fellows
waist. Then he knew that he had almost
met his match. Isaac held his opponents
left arm by the wrist and frightened the
wise. The murderer held the boy around
his neck with a contracting grip. such as
only a prize fighter understands. Neither
spoke a word. 1t was horsepower against
skill.
There was a crash and cry and a fall.
but not until Isaac knew that the man
under him was helpless did he utter a
sound. Then he called: Police! Police
crown of his head. Then. before his head
swan away into Inconsistencies. he felt
strange thing happen to his wrist
The first lieutenant, the captain and
the superintendent are different beings
from the officer of the street. who has no
gilt stripes upon his sleeves nor epaulets
upon his shoulders. The one, having passed
}hrn1r orh oil is
been chosen, not orly because of his fdei-
ity and bravery, but because of his dis
eliminating gentleLess or gentlemanliness.
The other, a private of the force often a
foreigner with foreign instincts and eager
for promotion chat is, he means to make
as many arrests as possible), confuses the
difference between rudeness and authority.
brutality and law. By the time he is a
and he ought to Know better.
The superintendent looked a Isaac stead
lily and not unkindly, while he listened to
the officers story.
"ofr with those braceletsr he said
sternly
Isaac Masters regarded the superntend-
ent gratefully. For the first time since he
man, his natural expression of trust re-
turned to his face.
I'll forgive him." said the boy of sim
pie, Christian education. TT was Oakland
he made a mistake" Isaac wiped the clotted
blood from his cheeks. Can l go now?"
Even less experienced man than the
white-haired superintendent would have
could no more have committed a crime
or told an untruth than an oak. The p6-
liceman who had dubbed him. perhaps
with the best intentions in the world, hung
his head.
Let me hear your story first" The
superior officer spoke in his most fatherly
tones. He really pitied the country lad.
What is your name? Where do you
come from? How did you get there? Tell
me all about it. Here, sergeant. Get him
a glass of water first!
perhaps a little whisky would do him
good" suggested a night hawk who had
room. Blood acts terribly upon even the
most stolid ina gination. Beneath that red
streaked mask it needed all the experience
of the superintendent to recognize the
innocence of a juvenile heart. AS Isaac,
in indignant refusal. turned his disfigured
head upon the youthful representative of
aged paper he seemed to the thought
less reporter the incarnation of a wounded
beast. The young fellow opened the door
and beckoned his mates in to see the new
show that was enacting before them. 1t is
only fair to say that it is due to the mod
ern insanity of the press for prying into
private affairs that the worst phase of the
tragedy l am relating came to pass.
Isaac Masters told his story eagerly and
simply.
II have done nothing to be arrested for"
with his round, honest eyes. Il only did
my duty as anybody else would. Now let
me go. Tell me, Mr.. Officer, where 1 can
get decent nights lodging. for 1 am going
home tomorrow. I've had enough of this
city. I want to go home.'
Something like a sob sounded in the
throat of the huge boy as he came to this
pathetic end. Every man in the station,
from the most hardened observer of crime
to the most juvenile reporter of misery,
was moved Isaac, himself still dizzy from
the effects of the blow, nauseated by the
prison smell, the indescribable odor of
crime which no disinfectants can overcome,
COMPOUNDED by the surroundings into which
he had been cast, and trembling with the
nameless apprehension that all honest peo-
pie feel when drawn into the arms of the
law, sWayed and sWooned again.
The sergeant and the reporters for they
were not without kind hearts, busted them
selves with bringing him to. From an OPP
posite bench the murderer lowered between
scowls of pain, upon the man who had
crushed him. There had been revealed to
him a simplicity of soul residing in body
hot ba Ia6 had