to him that hath-第44部分

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Chief　went　on　with　his　arrangements。　　In　his　hands　the　process　of
swearing　in　a　number　of　special　constables　was　speedily　accomplished。
Meantime　many　cars　and　a　considerable　number　of　men　had　gathered
about　the　Police　Headquarters。

〃What　is　that　light？〃　cried　the　Mayor　suddenly；　pointing　in　the
direction　of　the　foundry。　　〃It's　a　fire！　　My　God；　Chief；　do　you　see
that　fire？　　Hurry　up！　　Why　don't　you　hurry　up？　　They　will　burn　the
town　down。〃

〃All　right；　Mr。　Mayor；〃　said　the　Chief。　　〃We　shall　be　there　in　a
few　minutes　now。　　Captain　Maitland；〃　said　the　Chief；　〃I　will　take
the　men　I　have　with　me。　　Will　you　swear　in　all　you　can　get　within
the　next　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes；　and　report　to　me　at　the
foundry？　　Sergeant；　you　come　along　with　me！　　I'm　off！〃　　So　saying；
the　Chief　commandeered　as　many　cars　as　were　necessary；　packed　them
with　the　members　of　his　police　force　available　and　with　the
specials　he　had　secured；　and　hurried　away。

After　the　Chief　had　retired；　Jack　stood　up　in　his　car。　　〃Any　of　you
chaps　want　to　get　into　this？〃　he　said；　addressing　the　crowd。　　His
voice　was　cheery　and　cool。　　At　once　a　dozen　voices　responded。
〃Righto！〃　　〃Here　you　are！〃　　〃Put　me　down！〃　　In　less　than　fifteen
minutes；　he　had　secured　between　forty　and　fifty　men。

〃I　want　all　these　cars；〃　he　said。　　〃Get　in；　men。　　Hold　on！〃　he
shouted　at　a　driver　who　had　thrown　in　his　clutch。　　〃Let　no　man　move
without　orders！　　Any　man　disobeying　orders　will　be　arrested　at
once！　　Remember　that　no　guns　are　to　be　used；　no　matter　what
provocation　may　be　given。　　Even　if　you　are　fired　on；　don't　fire　in
return！　　Does　any　man　know　where　we　can　get　anything　in　the　shape
of　clubs？〃

〃Hundreds　of　axe　handles　in　our　store；〃　said　Rupert。

〃Right　you　are！　　Drivers；　fall　in　line。　　Keep　close　up。　　Now；　Mr。
Mayor；　if　you　please。〃

Armed　with　axe　handles　from　Stillwell　&　Son's　store；　they　set　off
for　the　scene　of　action。　　Arrived　at　the　foundry　they　found　the
maddest；　wildest　confusion　raging　along　the　street　in　front　of　the
foundry；　and　in　the　foundry　yard　which　was　crowded　with　men。　　The
board　fence　along　the　front　of　the　grounds　had　been　torn　down　and
used　as　fagots　to　fire　the　foundry；　which　was　blazing　merrily　in　a
dozen　places。　　Everywhere　about　the　blazing　building　parties　of　men
like　hounds　on　the　trail　were　hunting　down　strike…breakers　and；　on
finding　them；　were　brutally　battering　them　into　insensibility。

Driving　his　car　through　the　crowd；　Maitland　found　his　way　to　the
Chief。　　In　a　few　short；　sharp　sentences；　the　Chief　explained　his
plan　of　operations。　　〃Clear　the　street　in　front；　and　hold　it　so！
Then　come　and　assist　me　in　clearing　this　yard。〃

〃All　right；　sir！〃　replied　Maitland；　touching　his　hat　as　to　a
superior　officer；　and；　wheeling　his　car；　he　led　his　men　back　to
the　thronging　street。

Meantime；　the　Fire　Department　had　arrived　upon　the　scene　with　a
couple　of　engines；　a　hose　reel　and　other　fire…fighting　apparatus；
the　firemen　greatly　hampered　in　their　operations。

Swinging　his　car　back　through　the　crowd；　Maitland　made　his　way　to
the　street；　and　set　to　work　to　clear　the　space　immediately　in　front
of　the　foundry。　　Parking　his　cars　at　one　end　of　the　street；　and
forming　his　men　up　in　a　single　line；　he　began　slowly　to　press　back
the　crowd。　　It　was　slow　and　difficult　work；　for　the　crowd；　unable
to　recognise　his　ununiformed　special　constables；　resented　their
attack。

He　called　Victor　to　his　side。　　〃Get　a　man　with　you；〃　he　said；　〃and
bring　up　two　cars　here。〃

〃Come　along；　Rupert；〃　cried　Victor；　seizing　Stillwell；　and　together
they　darted　back　to　where　the　cars　stood。　　Mounting　one　of　the
cars；　Maitland　shouted　in　a　loud　voice：

〃The　Chief　of　Police　wants　this　street　cleared。　　So　get　back；
please！　　We　don't　wish　to　hurt　anyone。　　Now；　get　back！〃　　And　lining
up　level　with　the　cars；　the　special　constables　again　began　to　press
forward；　using　their　axe　handles　as　bayonets　and　seeking　to　prod
their　way　through。

High　up　on　a　telegraph　pole；　his　foot　on　one　of　the　climbing
spikes；　was　a　man　directing　and　encouraging　the　attack。　　As　he　drew
near；　Maitland　discovered　this　man　to　be　no　other　than　Tony；　wildly
excited　and　vastly　enjoying　himself。

〃Come　down；　Tony！〃　he　said。　　〃Hurry　up！〃

〃Cheerio；　Captain！〃　shouted　Tony。　　〃What　about　Festubert？〃

〃Come　down；　Tony；〃　said　Maitland；　〃and　be　quick　about　it！〃

〃Sorry；　can't　do　it；　Captain。　　I　am　a　fixture　here。〃

Like　a　cat；　Maitland　swarmed　up　the　pole　and　coming　to　a　level　with
Tony；　struck　him　swiftly　and　unexpectedly　a　single　blow。　　It　caught
Tony　on　the　chin。　　He　swung　off　from　the　post；　hung　a　moment；　then
dropped　quietly　to　the　ground。　　As　he　fell；　a　woman's　shriek　rang
out　from　the　crowd　and　tearing　her　way　through　the　line　came
Annette；　who　flung　herself　upon　her　brother。

〃Here　you；〃　said　Jack；　seizing　a　couple　of　men　from　the　crowd；　〃get
this　man　in　my　car。　　Now；　Annette；〃　he　continued；　〃don't　make　a
fuss。　　Tony　isn't　hurt。　　We'll　send　him　quietly　home。　　Now　then；
men；　let's　have　no　nonsense；〃　he　shouted。　　〃I　want　this　street
cleared；　and　quick！〃

As　he　spoke；　a　huge　man　ran　out　from　the　crowd　and；　with　an　oath；
flung　himself　at　Maitland。　　But　before　he　came　within　striking
distance；　an　axe　handle　flashed　and　the　man　went　down　like　a　log。

〃Axe　handles！〃　shouted　Maitland。　　〃But　steady；　men！〃

Over　the　heads　of　the　advancing　line；　the　axe　handles　swung；　men
dropping　before　them　at　every　step。　　At　once　the　crowd　began　a
hasty　retreat；　till　the　pressure　upon　the　back　lines　made　it
impossible　for　those　in　front　to　escape。　　From　over　the　heads　of
the　crowd　rocks　began　to　fly。　　A　number　of　his　specials　were
wounded　and　for　a　moment　the　advance　hung　fire。　　Down　through　the
crowd　came　a　fireman；　dragging　with　him　a　hose　preparatory　to
getting　into　action。

〃Hello；　there！〃　called　Maitland。　　The　fireman　looked　up　at　him。
Jack　sprang　down　to　his　side。　　〃I　want　to　clear　this　street；〃　he
said。　　〃You　can　do　it　for　me。〃

〃Well；　I　can　try；〃　said　the　fireman　with　a　grin；　and　turning　his
hose　toward　the　crowd；　gave　the　signal　for　the　water；　holding　the
nozzle　at　an　angle　slightly　off　the　perpendicular。　　In　a　very　few
moments　the　crowd　in　the　rear　found　themselves　under　a　deluge　of
falling　water；　and　immediately　they　took　to　their　heels；　followed
as　rapidly　as　possible　by　those　in　front。　　Then；　levelling　his
nozzle；　the　fireman　proceeded　to　wash　back　from　either　side　of　the
street　those　who　had　sought　refuge　there；　and　before　many　minutes
had　elapsed；　the　street　was　cleared；　and　in　command　of　Maitland's
specials。

Leaving　the　street　under　guard；　Maitland　and　his　specials　went　to
the　help　of　the　Chief；　who　was　hampered　more　or　less　by　His
Worship；　the　Mayor；　and　very　considerably　by　Mr。　McGinnis；　who　had
meantime　arrived；　mad　with　rage　and　demanding　blood；　and　proceeded
to　clear　up　the　foundry　yard；　and　rescue　the　strike…breakers　who
had　taken　refuge　within　the　burning　building　and　in　holes　and
corners　about　the　premises。　　It　was　no　light　matter；　but　under　the
patient；　good…natured　but　resolute　direction　of　the　Chief；　they
finally　completed　their　job；　rounding　up　the　strike…breakers　in　a
corner　of　the　yard　and　driving　off　their　assailants　to　a　safe
distance。

There　remained　still　the　most　difficult　part　of　their　task。　　The
strike…breakers　must　be　got　to　the　Police　Headquarters；　the　nearest
available　place　of　safety。　　For；　on　the　street　beyond　the　water
line；　the　crowd　was　still　waiting　in　wrathful　mood。　　The　foundry
was　a　wreck；　but　even　this　did　not　satisfy　the　fury　of　the
strikers；　which　had　been　excited　by　the　presence　of　the　strike…
breakers　imported　by　McGinnis。　　For　the　more　seriously　injured；
ambulances　were　called；　and　these　were　safely　got　off　under　police
guard　to　the　General　Hospital。

The　Chief　entered　into　consultation　with　the　Mayor：

〃The　only　safe　place　within　reach；〃　he　said；　〃is　Police　Headquarters。
And　the　shortest　and　best　route　is　up　the　hill　to　the　left。　　But
unfortunately；　that　is　where　the　big　crowd　is　gathered。　　There　are
not　so　many　if　we　take　the　route　to　the　right；　but　that　is　a　longer
way　round。〃

〃Put　the　men　in　your　cars；　Chief；〃　said　McGinnis；　〃and　smash　your
way　through。　　They　can't　stop　you。〃

〃Yes；　and　kill　a　dozen　or　so；〃　said　the　Chief。

〃Why　not？　　Aren't　they　breaking　the　law？〃

〃Oh；　well；　Mr。　McGinnis；〃　said　the　Chief；　〃it　is　easy　to　kill　men。
The　trouble　is　they　are　no　use　to　anybody　after　they　are　dead。　　No；
we　must　have　no　killing　to…night。　　To…morrow　we'd　be　sorry　for　it。〃

〃Let　us　drive　up　and　see　them；〃　suggested　the　Mayor。　　〃Let　me　talk
to　the　boys。　　The　boys　know　me。〃

The　Chief　did　not　appear　to　be　greatly　in　love　with　the　suggestion
of　the　Mayor。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃it　would　do　no　harm　to　drive　up　and　have　a　look
at　them。　　We'll　see　how　they　are　fixed；　anyway。　　I　think；　Mr。
McGinnis；　you　had　better　remain　on　guard　here。　　The　Mayor　and
Captain　Maitland　will　come　with　me。〃

Commandeering　Rupert　and　his　car；　the　Chief　took　his　party　at　a
moderate　pace　up　the　street；　at　the　top　of　which　the　crowd　stood
waiting　in　compact　masses。　　Into　these　masses　Rupert　recklessly
drove　his　car。

〃Steady　there；　Stillwell；〃　warned　the　Chief。　　〃You'll　hurt