The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-11-01

AuOupSOn lnLO CnalE The Chill
man took out his needles and D
ments and began his work.
There is some psychological nome
when the noisiest crowd becomes nd
mentarily silent. At such time
voice of some individual will ari
and dominate the mob. So, at Il
juncture, the drunken tones of Cred
came floating across the still air:
ITO hell with the American eagle '
A dozen sailors sprang round. glsy
irg. whats that? What's that
they cried. who said that?"
II said that" shouted Crewe. risil
and staggering unsteadily iowa
them. "To-hell with the Americ;
eagle" he repeated with drunken gra5
ity. There's no Yank living but a | +
tie Canadian can knock the five-sp
off every time"
There was a rush in Crewe's diret
tion. In an instant he was surroundH
by mob of excited rseamen, while h|
new friends made themselves scare
evidently unwilling to share his uD
popularity, yet not wholly absentirb /
themselves, in case of further profiD
to come. ttt
you'll take that back" shouted
brawny sailorman, shaking his fist u
der Crewe's nose. you'll eat the {
words or I'll make squash pie cute
you"
you will, will your" replied Crew
sneeringly. Twelve TO one-twelJ
Yanks to one Canadian, and that
about your measure. There amt
man here can't lick singly in fa|
fight"
Crewe had forced his way to Thorn
sons side. The sailor had just bed
released from the tattooer's chara|
and was rearranging his clothes. NoI
hearing these words, he sprang u
glaring.
Let me get at him." he shouted.
mo, no, Frank don't fight. You I'd
to save your hands for tomorrow
Frank" cried his supporters.
LET him fight" shouted EgaI
Whats the odds. 1t won't take mani
seconds to put that slob out of bus
ness. Say, do you mean what yd
said?" he yelled, thrusting his fad
within an inch of Crewe's.
Il surely do, and here's to prove it'll
Crewe answered, and his fist shot oll
and caught Egan on the point of th|
jaw. / saw the man collapse, crumpl
up, and lie still. 1t was one of th|
cleanest fighting blows had ever see|
delivered.
Infuriated by the defeat of hi
friend, Thompson darted forward, hi
fists whirling like engine shafts. Their
was nothing of science shown. Crew.
fought ,pluckily, but it was evideI
that he could not stand for long befor
those sledge-hammer blows. He spran
forward and the men clinched. / hes,
sailor utter an exclamation of pain
He fell back and looked down at hi
hands stupidity. One dangled limpl
from the wrist, as though it wer
broken.
1T was foul blow, Langton," sail
y
But unquestionably it was justife,
for the saving of the mans life. 81
the way, l see that the Englishmal
easily defeated Thompsons substi
tute."
what was the substance used b,
the tattooer?" 1 asked, knowing tha
Crewe's story would have to be draw
out of him piecemeal.
Zone of the iodides," he answered
"and the most powerful explosives
known. So violent are they in theil
action that, if few grains be strewI
upon the face of watch, the hands
coming in contact with them, will de
tomato them and blow the whole watcl
to pieces"
How did you come to susp pact tina
this substance had been used, anC
how was it intended to work?"
DO you remember what they uset
to rub into soldiers wounds in Older
days, Langton?" my companion asked
shook my head.
"Gunpowder. The explosives have
'hS PAOPCAtJ "a pSAhb SCly Wtll lOlSidt
ed by the tissues of the human body
Thompson's statement that the tattoo
ing caused barely any irritation, tn,
peculiarly blue appearance of tht
scar, and the relationship existing be
tween Egan and the Chinaman, wht
was connected with firm of firecrack
er importers, all confirmed me in m!
suspicion. Thesplan was, undoubtedly
to let Thompson meet the English
man, when the first hard blow that HI
received upon the chest would certain
ly have detonated the explosive an(
blown out the vital organs of the Body
producing instant death.
"You know that, when foreign sub
stance enters the tissues, nature, un
able to reject it, renders it harmless
|. by encysting it. 1t was the fear tha
this encysting process might alread!
have begun which caused Egan to in
sist upon second application.
IF the substance could have beer
removed, l would have confidet
in Thompson. But any attempt Il