Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-18


ton of the audience who had ap
| Ef9EHfSE plauded the speech of the young
>sss>ia' athlete gathered around him. They
declared that "this thing should GO
no further" 1t was shame to make man
fight when he was not willing.
Bryan understood perfectly well that If the
attack had been made on the platform, the
result might have been very different.
Bilch was out of breath with anger, and the
furniture was in his way. His friends gath,
cred around him, helped him to ms iee'' anu
did their best to restrain him. 49, h,u
There was general confusion IN tne nan,
with noise enough to attract the attention OF
people in other parts of the building.
IT was plain enough that the company were
divided on the merits of the question oe1ore
them and the violence Of Blch had greatly
excited them. a. o, -
Tom Brace, who had made the speech IN
his favor, placed himself at Bryan's side, and
said he would stand by him.
But the professors son wanted only 70 geI
out of the place. He took hold OF the handle
of the door, and shook it to see now m 1a
strength there was in it. When ne haa uo Ie
so, and the result was not encouraging M ne
heard KEY inserted from the outside. Inc
door was unlocked, and very stout man pre-
scented himself.
Gentlemen, I can't have SO much NOISE IN
my hall" said he, in tones OF autnorltyip
Swikes, the proprietor of the saloon ana us
dependencies. III, p,oh
But Bryan did not wait to hear any more;
for the open door behind MIR. Swikes soiVed
the problem SO far as he was concerned
He did not wait even to thank Mr.. Tom
Brace for his advanced views OF far play, put
rushed down the stairs as fast as his legs
would carry him.
He did not pause to pay his respects to Jim
or the gentlemany bartender s and ne dd not
"I'he bird has fown!" cried Mr.. ,Slugg,
when he saw Bryan dart through the door.
He made a move to go after him, but Mr..
Swikes quickly shut and locked the door.
The fact thus announced had cooling ef-
feet upon all parties present. MI. owlkes
wanted to know the meaning of the row, and
Bilch told his story. In the course of the ex-
animation. it appeared that only half dozen
of the company knew the circumstances I'M
der which Bryan had been brought to Allie
gona Hall.
the young man who had knocked out" Lon
Blinker would spar with Barney Bilch; that
was all
Mr.. Bich had announced his purpose to
"bring out" the young man in series of
sparring exhibitions, if possible; but this was
before he went to Midway street. Doubtless
he had hoped to accomplish by stratagem
what he had failed to do by liberal offers
Mr. Swikes condemned the idea of making
a boy fight or spar against his will. He said
that trouble would grow out of the plot and
he insisted upon clearing the hall on the in
slant
In five minutes more the lights were out
and Allegonia Hall was closed.
Bryan did not go directly home, but stop
ped at the police station on his way. He told
the story of the evenings adventure, and
showed the letter and the message, with Mr.
Longwood's name forged upon them.
He gave the names of Bilch and Slugp as
the authors of the outrage; he did not know
the name of the others, but he spoke good
word for Tom Brace.
The officer in charge said he would cause
the arrest of the two men who had been the
visible aggressors. Bryan then went home.
and it took him an hour to tell his mother
the whole story. She trembled at portions of
it, and wept over the perils to which her son
had been exposed.
"Your father said you were the strongest
boy of your age he had ever known and that
YOU could strike a heavier blow than most
fulI-grown men," said Mrs Braslock, when
her son described the only hit he had given
Bilch. "He began to train you when you were
little more than baby"
IT rather wish he hadn't done it. mother"
replied Bryan,
fend yourself tonight"
"And it was that which got me into the
'fSut Lon Blinker might have killed you
if YOU had not been both strong and skiilful
in the battle at the store"