Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-15

than when the victim is suffering from the
ufter-effects of whisky and a drug. Mem
tality, vitality and courage are then at
their lowest ebb. A brave man often is
reduced to the ptiful condition of yellow
dog when nausea sits astride his stomach.
But the mate was not acquainted with
Billy Byrne of Kelly's gang. Billy's brain
was befuddled, so that il took some time
for an idea to wiggle its way through, but
his courage was all there, and all to the
good.
Billy was a mucker. a hoodlum, a gang
ster u thug, tough. When he fought his
methods would have brought a flush of
shame to the face of his satanic majesty,
He had hit oftener from behind that from
before. He had always taken every ad-
vantage of size and weight and numbers
that he could call to his assistance. He
was an insulter of girls and women. He
was a barroom brawler and a saloon
corner loafer.
He was all that was dirty and mean and
contemplate and cowardly in the eyes of
a brave man; and yet, Notwithstanding all
this. Billy Byrne was no coward. He was
what he was because Of training and en-
vironment He knew no other methods
no other code. Whatever the meager ethics
OF his kind he would have lived up TO them
to the death.
He had never squealed on a pal, and he
had never left a wounded friend TO fan into
the hands of the enemy, the police,
Nor had he ever let man speak 10
him as the mate had spoken and get away
with IT, and so, while he did not act as
quickly as would have been his wont had
his brain been clear, he did act But the
interval of time had led the mate into an
erroneous conception Of its cause and into
a further rash show Of authority, and had
thrown him OF his guard as well,
What you need said the mate, ad-
yancing toward Billy, lis a bash OF the
beezer. TIN help you remember that you
amt nothin but a dirty landubber an
when your betters come around you'll"
What Billy would have done in the
presence Of his betteTs remained still-boTn
in the mates imagination in the face of
what Billy really did do 10 his better as
that worthy swung a sudden vicious blow
at the muckers face.
Billy Byrne had not been scrapping with
third and fourth rate heAvies and sparrIng
with real live ones for nothing. The mates s
fst whistled through empty air. the blear-
eyed hunk of clay that had seemed such
easy prey TO him was metamorphosed on
the instant into an alert, cat-like bundle Of
steel slnews, and Billy Byrne swung that
awful right with the pile driver weight
that even the Big Smoke himself had
acknowledged respect for, straight 70 the
short ribs OF his antagonist
With a screech OF surprise and pain the
mate cTumpled In the far corner Of the
forecastle, rammed half way beneath a
bunk by the force Of the terrific blow. Like
a tiger Billy Byrne was after him. and
dragging the man out into the centre OF
the aoor space, ne beat and mauled him
until his victims -yells echoed through the
ship from stem 20 stern
When the captain. followed BY half q
dozen seaInen, rushed down the compan Mon
way he found Billy sitting astride the
PROSTATE form oI the mate. His great
fingers cireled the mans throat, and with
mighty blows he was dashing the fellow s
head against ths hard fioor.
Another moment ana murder would haxe
been complete
"Avast there cried the captain. and -
though g panetuate hls rsEnark ha sVuos