Evening star., 1914-02-08

nimblv to one side with that quick response
of perfect nerves and muscles, and shook his
fist at the reckless speeders. From the open
car rioted forth the maudlin voices of men,
and the shrill, nervous shouts of women with
plumes, and Monahan threw his hand up
and shouted to the driver forgetting that
without the imposing gilt and blue he was
reft of authority.
| The man at the wheel shouted curse at
him, and the bibulous JOY riders flung back
| jeers as the car tore ahead and round the
corner without pause. And then Monahan,
| listening, heard a sound that drove the
| blood from his heart. and started him racing
nadly back up the street. 1t was that OF an
| agonlzed scream, as OF woman struck by
death. the short and angry stopping of the
car, and its sudden charge forward at full
speed as if to escape the consequences of a
tragedy.
When Monahan gained the corner four
or five men were bending over an object in
the middle of the street; while dozens of
others, Mortified or morbidly curious, were
closing in. A policeman, just ahead of him,
was thrusting the strangers back, when
Monahan, with chill prescience, burst in,
showing his path, and needless of whom he
threw out of the way. He pushed the aston
ished officer to one SIDE and reached down,
quivering with grief, above the girl with the
|
shoulder to throw him back, and he looked
up at the indignant officer.
| ~It's mel Monahan of the force-Mona-
ham, he croaked, and his fellow recognized
him and started at sight of the twisting, con-
torted, agonized face that was lifted toward
him. Nonahan was on his knees beside her,
and his eyes were blurred as he Strengthened
out the pitifully disordered dress, and then
tenderly, as one lifting brokensily from the
mire, slipped his strong. arms beneath her
and caught her up to his breast.
Williams! Williams! A ca-ab! A ca-ar!
Anything! For Gods sake! Anything!
Quick!" he appealed to the other officer.
Cant We see, Man, that the heart of me is
dyin'-here in me arrums?' he implored,
reverting in his distress to the rich brogue
of his mother. "And but for the fool head
of me. twouldn't have happened! An may
the saints have mercy on me sowl for the
murtherer that 1 am! A ca-ab, Williams!
Hurry! Don't wait for the amboolance!"
THEY moved lane through the crowd,
which was stilled by the big mans broken
cry Of anguish, and commandeered the ser
vices of big touring car that was leisurely,
heedessly passing. They climbed into it,
Williams on the seat beside the chauffeur,
and inside of it Monahan. holding in his
arms limp, unconscious broken thing, to
which, as they rode away, he babbled and
crooned, interfering curses for himself, for
the driver that had run her down, and railing
at Fate. He felt the car leaping beneath
them as the officer beside the driver roared,
Keep the siren goin' all the time, and turn
her loose. Curse youi Turn her loose! To
the Postgraduate Hospital in five minutes,
or I'll beat you to a pulp! It's the heart of
AIonahan that we're tryin' to save! Got"
And inside, as the car careened madly
round the corners, skidded on tracks, and
spattered the curb with snow and slush.
Nlonahan was praying as he had never
PRAYED before.
Holy Fa-ather,' he muttered again and
again, take pity on her and stretch down
your hand! She's suffered enough, dear
God! You know she has! You kept the
fire from swapin out her eyes! Kape her
sowl in her body now. lest the light goes out
from the life OF me-that caused it. Me.
Nlonahan, murtherer that | am! Take me
insthead! Me, Nonahan, dear FEATHER,
and fling me to an endless purgathory! But
save her"
Accustomed as they were to pathetic
sights, the quiet surgeons of the hospital mar
veled at the grief OF the big man who brought
this patient to them, and marveled still
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