The San Francisco call., 1913-11-19
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| II hope / didn't startle you, he
began, ''but / just looked in on the
off chance
Il am very glad. indeed, to see
you." interrupted the boy. Il am
leaving here tomorrow. Just now,
while l was packing some of my be-
| longings, a very nasty looking man
came and peeped in at me in the same
way as you did,
] He backed into the house The po-
/ liceman half followed him, his quick
glance noting the open portmanteau
and its Array of old clothes.
WHO 1T WAS
"Just now" he questioned. do
you mean some time since?"
NO. no. Not half minute-a few
seconds ago.
But where can he be? He hasn't
left the news. or I must have seen
him. / crossed the road, and no one
came out in so short a time"
Well, he is somewhere in the place
he had a horrid appearance man
with a broken nose. He made me
jump, l can assure you.''
"A man with a broken nose! BY
jove. I'm looking for a party of that
description. A rank wrong -un. Rob-
OClS Will tAOlCACC dlQ d lew OlhC-
little things. What sort of man was
he? You saw his face only. 1 sup
poser"
The constable stepped back into the
paved court. A rapid twist of his
hand sent vivid beam Of light dan
cling .over ruined tenements, dishev
eled doorways and shattered windows.
A tall man. said Philip, taller
than you, for 1 could see his chin
over the string of the curtain. He
had big face, with eyes that stuck
out boldly
BY the Lord, it's Jocky right
enoughr. cried the constable. Now.
where. can he have got to? He's an
ugly customer to tackle single
handed he added, beneath his breath.
Wont you wait a bit until I get
some help?" said Philip, anxiousiy.
The man appeared to debate the
point. The nearest comrade was an
acting sergeant, newly promoted. If
he were summoned, the kudos of a
smart capture would be his by right
of seniority.
No" announced the constable, stub
bornly. IF he is here, / will handle
him myself"
Again the lamp swept the small
area of the news and revealed no
living object. He quickly unfastened
his belt, took off his greatcoat and
readjusted belt and lamp again.
Now I'm ready for him." he
grinned Put my coat inside. boy.
and stand at the door yourself with
the candle in your hand, II you see
anything. yell out to me-"
Philip obeyed. These preparations
for a deadly struggle appealed to his
very soul, for your healthy minded boy
of Is has generally ceased to be a
highwayman or pirate in Imagination,
and aims rather at planting the flag
on glacis bristling with hostile
cannon.
The policeman, feeling for the loose
strap of his truncheon, commenced a.
careful survey of the news. He had
not gone five yards when there was
a loud crash of broken glass. The
building at the other end of the yard
possessed a couple of windows facing
into another Enclosure at the back.
Obviously, the broken nosed "Jocky,
unseen himself. had observed the con-
stables movements.
Realizing that discovery was i'm
minent, he was effecting a strategic
movement to the rear
The policeman instantly abandoned
his cautious tactics. He ran toward
the door of the house whence the
sound came. 1t resisted somewhat
but yielded to his shoulder. He dis
appeared inside. Philip. after closing
his own door, also ran to the new
center of interest. shielding the can
die with one hand lest 1T should blow
out.
Quick as he was. he missed the first
phase of a Homeric combat The vio-
lent ''Jocky." foiled by an unnoticed
iron bar in his attempt to escape,
turned like madman on the police
man. There was no sort of parley be-
tween them. Cursing the luck that
had revealed his hiding place, the
man, an ex-convict, with the frame
of a giant. sprang at his pursuer sud-
denly from an inner room.
The policeman had a seconds warn
ing. 1t was something. but not enough
to give him an advantage, He got
his club out, but simultaneously his
assailant was on him with the ferocity
of catamount. They closed in bone
breaking endeavor and before they
were locked together for 10 fearful
seconds the officer of the law bitterly
regretted the professional pride which
sent him single handed into this un-
equal strife
For he was physically outclassed,
and he knew 1T, and there is no more
unnerving knowledge can come to a
man in such a supreme moment New
ertheless, he was q brave man, and he
fought with all the resolution that is
| born of the consciousness of justice
and moral right. But providence is on
the side of big battalions. and "Jocky'
was taller, heavier, very much more
| active. Moreover, liberty is as potent
an incentive as law any day, and law
1 T. 1lx.~ II
pale CLEAN of Philips candle lit uI
the confines of the ruinous hovel about
which the two men stamped and
1urched 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 al
| them wide eyed, almost fell, too, fol
his left foot rolled on the constable
staff.
Being fashioned of the stun which
| founds umpires-on the principle thai
| instant action is worth a century Of
Idiplomacy-he picked up the truncheor
and brought 1t down on JOCKEYS
| hard skull with such emphasis tina
the convict emitted a queer sort o.
cough and collapsed Imply on top O.
his conquered adversary
Then the boy was horrfned. Tn,
two lay 80 still that he imagined botI
were dead 1t is one thing to he'll
the law. but quite another to kill
man. He did not want to he . muir
derer as well as n millionaire, mo
knowing then the qualities which r,
to form these varieties Of the genu
homo are strangely alike.
He gazed at them as in a trance
but relief came when he heard then
breathing stertoriously. At last. afte
pause that apparently endured un
numbered minutes, the constabl
L Ii. La /.