The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-09-06


1t dotcn on jockeys hard skull
as law any day, and law was being
steadily throttled when the pale CLEAN
of Philips candle lit up the confines of
the ruinous howell about which the two
men stamped and lurched and wrestled.
AT the precise moment of the boys
entrance the policeman's knees yielded,
and he fell, with his remorseless an
tagonist uppermost. Philip, gazing at
them wild eyed, almost fell, too, for his
left foot rolled on the constable's staff.
Being fashioned of the stuff which
Pounds empires-on the principle that
instant action is worth a century of
diplomacy-he picked up the truncheon
and brought it down on jockeys hard
skull with such emphasis that the con-
vict emitted queer sort Of cough and
collapsed Imply on top of his conquered
adversary.
Then the boy was Mortified. The two
lay so still that he imagined both were
dead. 1t is one thing to help the law,
but quite another to kill man. He did
not want to be murderer as well as
millionaire, not knowing then the quail
ties which go to form these varieties of
genus homo are strangely alike.
He gazed at them as in a trance, but
relief came when he heard them breath
ing stertorously. At last, after pause
that apparently endured unnumbered
minutes, the constable weakly rolled
himself free from the bulky form OF
his would be slayer and sat up.
He inflated his lungs vigorously. Then
he managed to gasp:
THANK you! You've saved my lfev'
He pressed his ribs with both hands
and gingerly felt his throat. He stood
up His lamp was still alight, but
quantity Of oil had run over his tunic
and trousers.
'By Jove, boy, you are a brick" he
said, and his voice was under control
again.
Philip answered not a word. His
eyes were glued on the PROSTATE form
Of Jocky. The policeman understood
his fear and laughed.
Don't you worry about him. He'll
do stretch all right. / would have
given him q harder one than that If
got swing at him."
His words were quickly justified.
The fallen man growled unintelligibly
and moved. With a rapidity born of
much practice the officer handcuffed
him. There must have been SOMA
sense of familiarity in the touch of the
steel bracelets, for the recipient of this
delicate attention stirred uneasily.
"You knocked him silly" grinued the
policeman, "but he will get his wits
back in a minute or two. Can you
bring him drink of water? 1t won't
do me any harm either"
Philip hurried away to comply with
this request His mind was relieved
now and with the backward swing of
the mental pendulum came the reflec-
ton that the least said of his connec-
ton with the case the better.
He filed small tin cup at the soul
lery tap and ran with it to the scene of
the capture. The constable was gen
tly shaking his prize and addressing
him by name.
"Jocky! Jocky Mason! Pull your
self together. This way for the Old
Baileyv'
"If you please" said Philip, II would
be very greatly obliged were my name
not mentioned at all with reference to
this affair."
The policeman, whose senses were
normal again, was instantly impressed
by the boys grand manner His ac-
cent was that Of the men, Of the Unit.
versity mission. And how many boys
OF his age would have struck so
straight and truly at critical mo-
ment?
well, don't you see, that will be |
rather difficult" was the answer. ut |
was you who told me where he was,
and the man himself knows that with |
out somebody's help I could not have |
him. There is no need to |
mince matters. 1 have you to thank
FOR not being laid here stiff"
Philip said no more. To press his re-
quest implied powerful motive. The |
stars In their courses must have con-
spired that day to supply him with
excitement
Mason eagerly gulped the water held