Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-13

jewelry and their red neckties and high
silk hats were the real thing. Dobbins
smiled as he glanced at them. But he did
not smile long, for he saw that they were
annoying the life out of the girl. They
didn't do it very neatly, but their efforts
to make impression were nevertheless
interchangeable. They did not confine them
selves to looks. They resorted to the eX-
pediency of words Their attempts had APP
parently no effect upon the girl She look
ed calmly past them out of the window into
the street beyond. Her face was flushed
and she was plainly angry-and startled a
bit. perhapS-but she gave no other sign.
But though without effect upon the girl,
these demonstrations were not lost upon
the subway man. who huddied, apparently
exhausted, in a corner of the car. Dobbins
had both seen and heard. and once or
twice, when the girl instinctively looked
his way, he had attempted in his honest
way. by the merest glance. to indicate that
he understood, and that he would see her
through.
However. as the car proceeded north
the girl seemed to become more and more
agitated. Dobbins realized the trouble.
She was nearing her destination, and she
was afraid for once of the dark and the
two men. Suddenly she signaled the con-
ductor and the car came to stop. Four
people ahghted at that crossing. One of
them was the girl. Two of them were the
two men. The fourth man was Dobbins
the subway man. Dobbins made for the
dark side of the street and skunk along in
the shadow. He saw the two men follow
close upon the track of the girl. Then sud
denly he heard the sound of their voices,
and, for the first time the sound of a wo-
mans voice. The girl had spoken. He lis
tened for an instant to be sure that he wds
right. and then he strobe across the street.
II beg your pardon he said to the girl,
can | assist your
The girl breathed a sigh of relief. She
was almost on the verge of tears. Dobbins
looked from her to the two men, The two
men looked at Dobbins. Dobbins' clothes
did not exactly show him up to great adj
vantage. The men looked at him con-
temptuously.
Say young fellow" they said to him.
"cIear Quit Understand"
Incidentally they jostled up against him
and trod upon his toes Dobbins never
noticed 1.-THE once more looked at the girl.
Can ! assist you?' he repeated.
The girl half bowed. "You-you can"
she replied. uncertainty.
No sooner had she said Ii than Dobbins
raised his voice. You fellows" he ex-
claimed in determined tone, repeating
what they had said to him. you fellows
clear out! Understand? If you don't
THAT was as far as he got. The two men,
with variety OF oaths. rushed upon him.
Somehow. at the start, DobbinS had SEEM
ed thin and shrunken. 1t was but an opti-
cal deluson. Now he felt the muscles of
his arms swell and harden against the
sleeves of his coat He had the smell of
battle in his nostrils. As the two men
came for him he stepped to one side. And
then. by some sudden trick which was
easier imagined than described. he leaped
upon these two men from behind and
twisted their bodies and their arms and
legs and necks into all sorts OF shapes. and
at one and the same time dealt them stun
ming blows. 1t was not one man against
two. Dobbins was dozen men at once
lie was superb-he was sublime.
IL was soon over. Dobbins, standing
upon his prone and defeated opponents-ene
foot upon each-now looked a veritable
Hercules He drew a sharp breath.
The girl stepped forward. II want to
thank you" she said. in trembling voice
'I-never had such things happen to me
before. I-never thought such things could
happen on the cars or on the street. But
OH she continued with hysterical laugh
how did you ever do It? II was fine
Dobbins reached into his inside pocket.
You would prefer that do not see you
home?' he asked.
The girl nodded. ut is better not" she
said. II shall get along all right" Dob
bins produced card and handed 1t to her.
The girl looked at it. Upon II appeared
these words: ''F. Vreeand Dobbins. Studio
No E street. Manhattan" The girl
Sasped "You-you are an artist" she ex-
claimed. He looked down at his clothes
Then he laughed.
What you have seen tonight" he an
swered pointing to the vanqushed two,
what you have just seen I learned In the
Quarter Latin-er-the Latin Quarter In
the city of Paris, France" He bowed
again.
The girl held out her hand. Thanks" she
said simply
Then she went. On his way home Dob
bins encountered a policeman Say. old
man. he suggested confidentialiy back
there. in the middle of the block are a