Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-04-20
Go back I say"

But, Phil
With an oath Cara rose, took Ned by
the shoulders and shot him back into the
corner. stopped over him and whispered
In his ear, came back and sat down be-
fore me. Bending forward, while Ned
watched and listened eagerly, Phil hurried
~ went on:
'At first Micky wouldn't fight. He had
no quarrel with me, he said. 1t was Ned
that had fnsulted him, said he: twas Ned
he'd fight. For answer 1 stripped him to
the waist, stepped out upon the floor an
gave Micky'S face the back o me hand.
That reused him. The ring closed in. Ham
mer an tongs We fell to wi naked fists. AT
first Micky had the best of matters, wi his
long arms an big weight Once he sent me
spraWlin' across a chair; another time he
Just missed a blow at me chin thatd ha'
broke me neck. But he was soft an L was
hard, ne had strength an had science; so,
In while, he tagged an l freshened, an
he was at me mercy. l toyed wi him. an
Jlbed him; L tapped him here an there, an
guard got low, an his breath came short,
an he lost his temper-then, seem me
chance, stepped in like a fash, took him
blow the chin like the kick Of a horse,
an measured his six feet upon the floor.
- Boys, the clatter he came down! Man,
the hubbub was there! Stretched out he lay
as pale as sheet, wi blood on his lips an
not breath in his body. He's dead
shouts this one. He's murdered says that
Catch him., says the rest. till we have his
life An wi that 1 lifts coat an waist
coat, shouts to Ned; then out into the dark
| an away. An for an hour we ran, an for
hours we lay in a ditch; at last, toward
morning. ="
Just there Phil stopped, crashed through
hand at Ned. Here's Larah," said he:
and to me, There's little more, but I'll
finish when were started again
nodded Ned gathered into his corner;
Phll crouched low in his. The whistle
shrieked, the brakes began grinding, slowly
the train drew up, and there upon Larah
platform stood two policemen by the door
way, while along it. from carriage to car
drawn slaves.
Then looked at Phil. They're coming"
said l.
"Who?''
''The police
"Ah"' He sat upright, his face blanch-
ing and Tightening, made sudden dash
toward the further door: then, at sight of
black figures the siding beyond, turned
and let fall his hands. Trapped said
he; trapped, by Godr'
He looked down upon Ned and upon his
horror-stricken face They're here" said
he; come. hear it like a man It'iI soon
be over and you needn't fear, anyway.
He took Ned by an arm, dragged him
across the carriage, dropped him on the
seat before me- and took his place in the
corner. Hold up he said giving Ned
that poor misery of Ned-a shake. BE
a man for once; be a man" He looked
at me- a smile tightening his face "All
Up, Sdlu lie. L can nnlSh, but You'll
see the rest in the papers Goodbye to
We He laughed, turned as figures dark
ened the windows. law, good mornin' to
yee sergeant- Come, Ned, boy. were want
ed. And quick came the click of hand
cuffs.
Some weeks afterward | found the fin
lsh OF pills story in the newspapers. Also
found details there which Phil had omit
ted, and some which he had distorted. Up
to certain point his story to me kept
sight of facts; afterward it entered the
region of fancy. 1t was Phil himself who
mad been accused of cheating: it was on
ms own behalf he had fought; it was when
matters We're going hopelessly with him
at the hands of Micky, the Wig that Ned
had striven to help him, had clutched
Micky's arms and tried to restrain him.
had unwittingly held Micky tight while
Phll got home with that murderous knife
Happily the wound was not mortal; SO
fhil lost his freedom for only three years;
and, because of his youth and innocence
and of some generous evidence rendered
by Phil on his behalf, Ned was admon-
iShe6 and set free