The Irish standard., 1902-11-01
A KnaVe Of
Conscience
BY FRANCIS LYNDE.
CHAPTER NNv.--CoNr1NuEp.
Copyright 1909, b. Francis Lynde.)

CHAPTER AAN.--CONTINUED,
A murmur of savage disapproval
ran through the group of determined
ones and there were muttered impre-
cations including Griswold.
faint no use. Mr.. Griswold," the
spokesman went on. 1--WE ketched
him in the very act, and he's goin' to
swing if ever last one of us has to
dance on nothin' to pay for it, It's
him or u.s.
Caught him in the act of what?"
demanded Griswold.
The spokesman shuf11ed with his
feet and hung his head. He was the
ringleader of the rnalcOntcnts; a bur-
ly molder but lately come to Wa
hasla, and there had been whispers
pointing to a past of his which would
not bear the li"bt. Griswold remem-
bered these rumors now, and saw
this: that the mans following was
detail from the more desperate sec
ton of the strikers.
The pause was brief but being sur
charged with possibilities, seemed
long. At length the man threw up
his head.
Come here and I'll show you," he
said.
Griswod followed him step aside,
to the Office front and to a breach
in the palings of the high fence close
at hand. Within the breach, and
heaped against the wall of the frame
office building, was a pile of chips and
shavings, and there was pungent
man pointed in silence.
''You mean to say that he was 60
ing to burn us out?" asked Griswold.
'.rhem fNin's speak for themselves,
don't thcy?"
''But why?" Griswold demanded.
The big man snorted scornfully.
'Taint no use for you to play in
nercent hathaway, Mr.. Griswold
You know who he is, and what he is,
and what he's here for"
Whereat Griswold lost his patience
and swore angrily. "Have done with
your mysterious bush-beating and
say what's in YOU" he raped out.
II don't know the man."
tYou don't, eh? Well, he's cussed
Pinkerton, that's what he is; and he's
here to make a case against us.
S'pose the works takes fire and burns
up, and he goes on the stand to swear
we done it? Only he amt never
goin' to get the chance. He's goin'
to quit right here and now. You &c
away, Mr.. Griswold. There amt nc
call for you to be Witness"
Who shall say what fierce and re-
lentless temptation assailed this mar
who saw his single pursuer thus il
the tolls? He had but to turn his
back and shrug, and say it was nc
concern of his, and this man Griffin
the only man of all men in the worlc
who might send him to wear out hi:
life in a Louisiana chain-gang, would
go to his account, and all danger
would be over-past for one Kenneth
Griswold.
No one save the victim of such al
onfall of devils battling for his sou
may know what Griswold endured il
that brief moment of hesitation. /
Griffin himself suspected, he made II,
sign; indeed, he had looked on al
through the colloqny as if the sub
ject matter of it concerned him no
at all. But now he spoke; thrc
words to his accuScr, and Il dozen t,
the man whom the devils were as
saulting.
you're a liar" I've said, coolly. t.
the one; and to the other: "Coul,
you oblige me with a cigar, Mr.. Girls
wold?"
Now, however ficr"rly the devils q
temptation had assaulted, GriSwol
had beaten them oil: LAT and more
he had plan of an attempt at
rescue hAlf-formc,l. and this rcqucs
of the man about to be hunye
.> chimed in with it. lie PROMPTLY len
dered the cigar. aud the striker VIII
was pinioning Gril1in's right arm me
chemically looscd his hold that TIL
prisoner might take ii.
1T was the moment for the al
tempt, if any there were to- be, an
there could be no more collusion bt
tween rescuer and captive than NIGH
be compressed into a single swift ey
glance. But that suilicec. Griili
reached for the cigar. but did nc
take it. Instead, he converted TIL
movement into singing side bio,
which felled the man at his left, an
at the same instant sprang back on
nf the circle with Gri:vsvold to hol
the Infatuated ones at bay while Il
did it.
ANY diversion GriswolA could NAL,
was necessarily of the briefest. Fe
some swift-passing second or so Il
delayed the rush by sheer NOR,
bravado. The storm broke in We
VI of rage and no two men might will
stand it. Griswolc did not try.
Through that hole in the fence!-
in with you!" he said, over his shou
gfs der to the detective; and the thir
was done SO deftly that the yellir
mob was for the moment nonplusse
Griswold made good use of the m
;58 mentary respite.
"Follow mel" he commanded; al
u minute later they had opened Il
darkened office by the back door.
When the door was shut and lock-
n again, Griffin looked about him in Il
semi-gloom.
cts out of the frying pan into Il
fire, isn't it?" he said. "rhey'll stor
III this place in about minute-al
take it,