The Irish standard., 1911-06-17


block, upon the cross streets, there
surged masses of people, frantic and
bowling, not yet formed into the ter
rible unity of purpose that was to
come. Kelvin stepped into a closed
automobile with Rensselaer, and. Sam
and two of his most dependable
guards. Peavy, ashen gray and pro-
testing, ran back under the porte co.
chere
Indeed. All cain go. Mistah KEEL
vim" Peavy declared. listening with
terror to the vengeful voice of the
mob "Ah ain we'll"
Sam Immediately jumped out after
him.
"Git back in yo' placer he COM
manded.
"Now yo' all go way from me,
Sam"' cried Peavy. "Ah aim got no
time to projec' roun' wild vol All ain
well, All tells yo'!'
"Sit back on 20 placer repeated
Sam.
The sharp voice of Kelvin came from
the automobile.
leave him there, Sam. We don't
want him. He will be worse than use
less to us"
"All right, sub, Anil leave him heah,
then. Jes' one minute"
There was the wall as of a lost soul
from Peavy as Sam, gripping his pow
erful fingers around Peavy's neck,
bore him to the floor. He knelt over
him for just moment, while Peavy's
legs struggled convulsively. Then he
jumped up by the chauffeur, and
Peavy lay still where Sam had left
him.
Kelvin uttered no word Of protest to
Sam, but he turned to Herbert with u
return of that chill feeling which had
twice before oppressed him this night
"a bad omen," he said.
Herbert laughed lightly.
"There will bea thousand bad onens
before we are through with this he
predicted, "but think that even Feavy
would have been safe In this flying
wedge of ours"
The automobile rolled out into the
street and took it's place in the center
Of the hollow square. Both before and
behind it were six automobiles, three
abreast, and one was upon each side.
Each of these was seven passenger
car, and in the tonneau Of each rested,
upon tripod, it's sweep above the
head Of the chauffeur. cylinder of
shining brass. Behind each cylinder
CT o,st Ill
two others sat upon the seat, each
soldier was further accoutered with
rifles and small arms, and thus, sur
rounded by fourteen Calling guns and
spare men to man them. the fifteenth
automobile, which contained Kelvin,
took command Of the expedition. There
was a shrill whistle from Rensselaer,,
the soldiers fell away from before the
machines like chaff, and the strange
battery sprang forward.
Upon the cross street at the end Of
the block the people quickly gave way,
but out from an intersecting avenue
two blocks beyond, fanatical mob,
shouting and cursing, turned and bore
straight toward them. Guns could be
seen on shoulders and torches were
founted. From the forward automo-
bile there came a sharp cracking. a
succession of staccato snaps like the
ripping Of shingles from q roof. The
running mob stopped. it fell back.
1t scattered like chaff. and in an in
slant more the autos, keeping evenly
abreast. bumped and jerked over a
pavement strewn with sickeningly soft
impediments So through the city
and out into the country they swept
to roads where they could 90 but two
abreast and sometimes but single file.
But always Kelvin was in the center.
and never was there any Interference
A half mile northeast of the city the
headlights Jared on a detachment in
unmistakable khaki on both sides Of
the road, and these saluted as the i'm.
perial escort swept by and cheered
and, closing in behind, marched at
double quick.
The ringing Of that first deep toned
knell in Washington had been stimuli
taneous with the clang Of the same