The evening world., 1916-06-05

grlttcd bctWecn MS tccth, ana llunR
the envelope on tho table. "Your
games up. my bucko. You. can talk
to the company behind the bars for
stuffing the payroll; but. by God. you'll
talk to me now for stealing the cop
pcrs from that little kid, You damned
skunk" he roarcd-and his fist
crashed full into the radronc's face.
| There was "A scream Of Wild rage
| from Masscro, that was lost in n
burst OF oaths yells and shricks from
| the mob belinda rush-and they
were on Larry like snarling wolves
And Larry laughed--laughe and
struck and struck again. One, flank
| ing him around the table. he funy
back like "A toppling ninepin with his
mighty strength, and another and
another and then the table was torn
away from In front OF him and they
swept him back against the shanty
wall. knives out. stabhing AT him, and
ninging themselves upon him before
he could reach the door. bore him to
the ground by sheer weight OF num-
bcrs and closed over him. a wriEgling.
hcaving, squirming mass
The weight upon him crushed the
breath from his body: something warm
and wet bathed his face. and mo-
mcntary weakness seized him. And
then suddenly all that was gone and "A
newborn strength surged upon him. as
over the hideous medley Of rnsplng
inhalatiOns. grunts and curses hot
breath"d into his face. there came n
: shrill treble scream. 10 waq the hoy!
Il whipped the blood In n furious tide
| through l.arry's veins. II was the boy
little TOmmaso-and Masseno would
kill the boy for this! II was the boys
life az stake--and thcre was no hclp
To- lnA I,., Il
laughed again. for he was strong
agaln-and while they clung TO his
arms, his shoulders and his neck. and
while they wrapped themselves about
his legs screaming In their fury. slash
ing at him with their knives. the mag
nihccnt physique Of the man rose
towering above tho ruck.
lie flung and shook them from him,
striking with a savagcry and passion
that seemed to cngulf his soul and
being. swept the blood from his eyes
and. with a cry like wild beast in
mortal hurt. dashed In through the
shanty door
One glance he got Of Masscno with
a pick stavc In his hand, OF tho hoy
dubbed into inscnsibility on the floor
and then he was on Masscno ike q
madman. He was blind with rage now
u rage that made the others strength
ms that OF pygmy against his own
Once he struck-a blow that seemed 10
Jar the padrone's head halfway around
and set 1t to swinging like n pendulum
on the mans neCk-and then Masseno
was In his arms. up shoulder high. and,
whirling, he hurled the man like a
stone from catapult full through the
door. full into the faces OF the gang
that, rallied now from their mumcn-
rp tn 90
Two went down before the human
hattcring ram. and with the the shock
OF impact the others for an instant
wavercd. staggering backward: hut
that instant OF rcprieve was enough.
quick IA panther in its spring, Larry
lcapcd for the door and slammed IL
shut, and with "A prayer OF thankful
ness for Its existence. shot home the
heavy iron bolt that fastened it,
lie glanced over at the boy. half
rose to 80 to him, and turning instead
To faco the door again. whipped his
revolver from his pocket. There was u
rush Of feet, crash upon the door,
and twice In quick cession Larry
hred through the panels. A shrek OF
pain, the scuiflc OF hastily retreating
stops answered this-and then silence.
Masseno and his gang now kept up
q series OF fcrocious attacks Again
and again they rushed the door from
without. battering at II with heavy
timbrs, Again and again Larry filled
the cartridge clip OF his automatic and
empted 1t through tho panels and
beat them back.
IL might have been an hour or halt
an hour. II might have been two, for
timo in Its duration had lost all sig
nlficance- and then Tommaso spoke
Tor tho first time.
"Signor or-listen." tho boy whispered
II hear something at the back Of the
shanty"
Larry nodded. He had heard II too
But he did not turn his hoad-he
dared not take his eyes an instant
from tho doorway.
silence again-and then suddenly a
bitter whiteness Crept into Larry :
!; face. with the draught from the
open door tho powder smoke had
cleared away. but now a pungen,
whiN OF burning wood was waited
to his nostrils from the rear OF the
shack ana with It came IA quick,
sharp series of cracking sounds as of
flames biting and licking furlously at
dried brushwODd. Larry's lips parted
over set teeth. They had set fire. 10
tho shack TO drive him into the open!
stand up. TommIso, and move
around IA bit To get tho stiffness out
Of YOU" no directed quickly. We'll
have to run for II in a minute"
Through the smoke that was
swirl.ng In increasing volume
through the shack. the boy shook his
, head.
"I've tried, signor." he said. his lips
quivering IL can't. My leg is
hurt"
Well never mind. son!" he cried
checrfully. wen manage Just the
same! And guess we'd better make
n break for 1t now before the smoke
chokcs the breath out OF us, Now
then. up you comet He lifted the
boy on TO his shoulder-and reelcd
under the weight, and bit his lips, and
staggered to the dOor-,and out
He was weak-tur weaker than he
had thought. How heavy the boy
was! lie broke into strange lurch-
ting trot, Five Yards. perhaps ten, he
made, the smoke that pourod from tho
blazing shack curtaining him for that
diStance--and then an ear.splitting
Yell OF demoniacal triumph went up.
On he went. another yard, and an
other. lie could hear the pound OF
their feet now behind him, closer and
closer and then he turned and fired
and lald tho boy down behind him
and like a wounded animal stood a,