Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-13
Continued from Yesterdays Star.

~ ETTY, the mare, Stood StllI, long,
yellow highlights trembling on
her smooth, quivering coat. The
IL straight white figure of the girl
in the saddle, far the most con-
spicuous thing in the huge assemblage,
stood like a commander overlooking and
directing assault. But she was as I'M
aware of herself as any unit in the vast
throng, and as they were OF her!
Suddenly wild yell went up. For
what? Had the gate given way? NO.
there it stood, stanch. What. then?
Had they sighted their quarry up there
above their heads? But nor-thelr eyes
were not raised Again the yell rose.
starting at the gate itself and sweeping
from it away and back to where her
mount stood! About the buildings en-
trance the crowd seethed. All; now she
saw! They had brought a weapon, those
hands of the mob-a pondefous thing,
long and bulky and heavy, log
pole-a ram!
At the rising clamor, men srrged IN
from the side street and swelled the
greater mass, packing closer the dense
bodv which had seemed solid before.
Behind the girl was the rising, terraced
mound of grass, oasis in the midst OF
the bouleyarcied street; 1t was like the
rising side of a bowl In which the peo-
ple were confined. A few scattered
ones stood high up ON its sides, on
lockers. like mere drops Spattereo up
from the fluid mass below. Now the
main body rose and absorbed them
again into itself. The mare stood sun
as men and women swept around ana
against her and then settled about ner,
once more welded compact.
For an instant Phyllis eyes were de-
fiected to the eddy about her and she
sensed the immediate scene. But next
moment there arose roar from the
mob's hoarse throat that seemed 10
drown thought itself! YellS, snrleks
and screams were lost in the one mignW
cry--a cry of triumph!
She looked-and saw him! AT the
head of the glittering stairs in the Bon
mars white entrance he suddenly stooo,
beyond the wicket, . single dark inquire
in the food of light, facing them.
Straight. calm, alonei Oh. God, how
alone he looked! Facing the mad
world single handed-no one at his side
no one to care-no one to share MS
danger, or his fate! Far, far over mere,
this side of 1t all she was still only
the spectator, she could still only look
on!
He raised his hand, as If to command
them. Their roar went derisively shrnl.
The side street emptied itself into the
main: the crowd gathered itself 10
strike! He spoke to thenl-shouted at
them--his lips moved visibly-but they
drowned out the sounds OF his voice
They howled In savage delight at their
own clamor, as If it were something
with which to beat him down. He
raised his hand again, then both hands,
and stepped forward and down, step.
another, q third-pleading for a hush
hoping to be heard! They surged for
ward as II to meet him-and their din
rose to the pandemonium of the pack
to the kill!
He took another downward step. and
then again. He reached the bars-and
took hold of them with his hands. His
hands! He was opening the gate! For
an instant the throng seemed to shrink
away from him. A little space opened
out, and once more she saw him stand
alone. Then the hands of the mob
seized It's weapon. With sudden still
ness upon them, more awful than any
sound, they rushed. The ram crashed
upon the gate, upon the lonely figure
standing there, and crushed on and
through the crumbling marble stairs
behindl
AS If at a signal, the iron gate went
down, the crowd swept forward. Thou
sands upon thousands Of them could not
hope to force their way near TO the