Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-08-13

denSelv packed crowd nau hSSeIHDleu
A platoon of policemen, marching five
abreast and armed with night sticks,
had drawn up on the outskirts OF the
crowd. The police had been given to
understand that the jobless men would
march once around the "loop' and dis
band on the lake front But it was
now seen this was not their plan. In
stead of turning east the leaders
turned west, and all along the line the
cry arose "Smulski's hall y
Fitzhugh fell in with the surgins
mass, and like it became imbued with
| the spirit of ION to Smulski's hall =
| In front of the rendezvous large
| crowd was already collected; the new
| arrivals swelled it threefold. Then.
! by that curious form of thought trans
| ference which often animateS big gath
erings word went through the crowd
| that the hall was nearly filled, that
there was room for scarcely two hun
dred more. And fully five thousand
wanted admittance. AS by single
| impulse the crowd became a seething,
| clamoring, blind mob that surged this
way and that tramplng the weak I'M
derfoot, crushing, struggling, swearing,
without reason or purpose. The police,
| instantly suspecting riot, rushed in,
using their batons freely.
BY sheer strength Fitzhugh wedged
his way to the protection of a door,
which, being partly open. gave way
before the impact of his body, precipi-
tating him into a narrow hallway. He
regained his feet in second, and
stepping outside closed the door and
stood with his back against it.
The next moment singular thing
happened From out that frenzied
mob, like ship tossed by restless
sea into haven of safety. a woman
was swept squarely into his arms. For
a bare moment he held her, flushed
and palpitating, in close embrace.
| Then he released her and saw her hat
was missing and that her clothing was
torn and disarrayed.
| "Thank you" she exclaimed breath
lessly.
The rays Of a nearby street lamp
fell athwart her face, and his first
| thought was that she was Jewess !;
then Russian, he added, apparently
of good birth and schooling. Though
she spoke with slight foreign accent,
her English was dramatically per-
feet. Her forehead, unusually broad
and high for woman. and her cast of
features denoted uncommon intellect
Like angry waves the mob ragged
about them In their inadequate refuge
and he opened the door. pushed her
into the hallway. and followed, clos.
ing the door behind them.
you'll find 1t safer in here" said
he, and added with some hesitation
"I-my name is FitZhugh. You needn't
tell me yours II you'd rather not"
81 see no reason why l shouldn't,
she retolted, yet with the hot color
flooding her cheeks. II am Esther
Strom Mr.. Fitzhugh, and l am very
happy to know you, even If only fol
Il minute" She held out to him &
his large, white one.
Are YOU going inside?" she asked
Il don't think So he laughed, ant
motioned toward the crowd outside
How can II"
"You-I might be able to get yol
inf you care to CO.
He started. "Then you are an"
"Oh :" Her hand fulnbled excited,
ut her neck, then dropped to her sid,
with a little gesture of dismay. TN
afraid I've lost somethin@-somethin
| valued very much. 1t WAS Il brooch
an heirloom. And I've lost It'll"
/, He struck match, and togethe
, they searched the floor.
, perhaps you dropped it outside,
, he suggested; and feeling the neces
sity of doing something, yet KNOWN,
the futiity of the action, he opene'
the door leading to the street. Mid
way between the door and the alley
against the brick wall of the building
he saw large packing case H
noted 1t was of strong material, re
enforced at the corners.
, The woman seemed to have forgot
ten her loss in the rush of som
. stronger emotion. She stood besid
him, gazing at the unelean crowd wit
wistful eyes, and there shone in tn
! liquid depths great sadness, an
something far rarer besides-sympa
thy. You poor, wretched people," h
heard her murmur. How | wish
. could talk to you as | should like to |,
He looked at her quickly. His bud
, ding thought burst suddenly into fu
bloom. To "show off, before thi
+ woman, to parade his talent befor
+ her. to impress her and win her ad
; mration-what delight that would be
Perhaps | could do it for YOU h
, offered. his voice betraying his eager
! ness. Would you like to hear IN
! try?"
Without waiting for her answer
fearful lest 1t be a negative, he e
bowed his way to the packing cas-,
mounted 1t, drew deep breath, an
!, stood up to his full height. The ar
lamp beating upon his face, serve
uncommonly well for calcium ligh