the conflict-第35章
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orm； came a stone heavily rather than swiftly flung； as from an impeded hand。 In full view of all it curved across the front of the platform and struck Victor Dorn full in the side of the head。
He threw up his hands。
‘‘Boysremember！'' he shouted with a terrible energy then； he staggered forward and fell from the platform into the crowd。
The stone was a signal。 As it flew； into the crowd from every direction the Beech Hollow gangs tore their way； yelling and cursing and striking out right and left trampling children； knocking down women； pouring out the foulest insults。 The street lamps all round Market Square went out； the torches on the platform were torn down and extinguished。 And in a dimness almost pitch dark a riot that involved that whole mass of people raged hideously。 Yells and screams and groans； the shrieks of women； the piteous appeals of childrenbenches torn up for weaponsmad slashing aboutsnarls and singings of pain…stricken groups then police whistles； revolvers fired in the air； and the quick； regular tramp of disciplined forces。 The police strangely ready； strangely inactive until the mischief had all been done entered the square from the north and； forming a double line across it from east to west； swept it slowly clean。 The fighting ended as abruptly as it had begun。 Twenty minutes after the flight of that stone； the square was empty save a group of perhaps fifty men and women formed about Victor Dorn's body in the shelter of the platform。
Selma Gordon was holding his head。 Jane Hastings and Ellen Clearwater were kneeling beside him； and Jane was wiping his face with a handkerchief wet with whisky from the flask of the man who had escorted them there。
‘‘He is only stunned；'' said Selma。 ‘‘I can feel the beat of his blood。 He is only stunned。''
A doctor came； got down on his knees； made a rapid examination with expert hands。 As he felt； one of the relighted torches suddenly lit up Victor's face and the faces of those bending over him。
‘‘He is only stunned； Doctor；'' said Selma。
‘‘I think so；'' replied the doctor。
‘‘We left our carriage in the side street just over there；'' said Jane Hastings。 ‘‘It will take him to the hospital。''
‘‘Nohome；'' said Selma； who was calm。 ‘‘He must be taken home。''
‘‘The hospital is the place for him；'' said the doctor。
‘‘Nohome；'' repeated Selma。 She glanced at the men standing round。 ‘‘TomHenryand you； Ed help me lift him。''
‘‘Please； Selma；'' whispered Jane。 ‘‘Let him be taken to the hospital。''
‘‘Among our enemies？'' said Selma with a strange and terrible little laugh。 ‘‘Oh； no。 After this； we trust no one。 They may have arranged to finish this night's work there。 He goes homedoesn't he； boys？''
‘‘That's right； Miss Gordon；'' replied one of them。
The doctor shrugged his shoulders。 ‘‘Here's where I drop the case；'' said he。
‘‘Nothing of the kind；'' cried Jane imperiously。 ‘‘I am Jane HastingsMartin Hastings' daughter。 You will come with us； pleaseor I shall see to it that you are not let off easily for such a shameful neglect of duty。''
‘‘Let him go； Jane；'' said Selma。 ‘‘There will be a doctor waiting。 And he is only stunned。 Come； boys lift him up。''
They laid him on a bench top； softened with the coats of his followers。 At the carriage； standing in Farwell Street； they laid him across the two seats。 Selma got in with him。 Tom Colman climbed to the box beside the coachman。 Jane and Miss Clearwater； their escorts and about a score of the Leaguers followed on foot。 As the little procession turned into Warner Street it was stopped by a policeman。
‘‘Can't go down this way；'' he said。
‘‘It's Mr。 Dorn。 We're taking him home。 He was hurt；'' explained Colman。
‘‘Fire lines。 Street's closed；'' said the policeman gruffly。
Selma thrust her head out。 ‘‘We must get him home''
‘‘House across the street burningand probably his house； too；'' cut in the policeman。 ‘‘He's been raising hellhe has。 But it's coming home to him at last。 Take him to the hospital。''
‘‘Jane；'' cried Selma； ‘‘make this man pass us！''
Jane faced the policeman； explained who she was。 He became humbly civil at once。 ‘‘I've just told her； ma'am；'' said he； ‘‘that his house is burning。 The mob's gutting the New Day office and setting fire to everything。''
‘‘My house is in the next street；'' said Colman。 ‘‘Drive there。 Some of you people get Dr。 Charlton and everything。 Get busy。 Whip up； driver。 Here； give me the lines！''
Thus； within five minutes； Victor was lying upon a couch in the parlor of Colman's cottage； and within ten minutes Dr。 Charlton was beside him and was at work。 Selma and Jane and Mrs。 Colman were in the room。 The othersa steadily increasing crowdwere on the steps outside； in the front yard； were filling the narrow street。 Colman had organized fifty Leaguers into a guard； to be ready for any emergencies。 Over the tops of the low houses could be seen the vast cloud of smoke from the fire； the air was heavy with the odors of burning wood； faintly came sounds of engines； of jubilant drunken shouts。
‘‘A fracture of the skull and of the jaw…bone。 Not necessarily serious；'' was Dr。 Charlton's verdict。
The young man； unconscious； ghastly pale； with his thick hair mussed about his brow and on the right side clotted with blood； lay breathing heavily。 Ellen Clearwater came in and Mrs。 Colman whispered to her the doctor's cheering statement。 She went to Jane and said in an undertone：
‘‘We can go now； Jane。 Come on。''
Jane seemed not to hear。 She was regarding the face of the young man on the couch。
Ellen touched her arm。 ‘‘We're intruding on these people；'' she whispered。 ‘‘Let's go。 We've done all we can。''
Selma did not hear； but she saw and understood。
‘‘Yesyou'd better go； Jane；'' she said。 ‘‘Mrs。 Colman and I will do everything that's necessary。''
Jane did not heed。 She advanced a step nearer the couch。 ‘‘You are sure； doctor？'' she said； and her voice sounded unnatural。
‘‘Yes； miss'' He glanced at her face。 ‘‘Yes； Miss Hastings。
He'll be out in less than ten days； as good as ever。 It's a very simple affair。''
Jane glanced round。 ‘‘Is there a telephone？ I wish to send for Dr。 Alban。''
‘‘I'd be glad to see him；'' said Dr。 Charlton。 ‘‘But I assure you it's unnecessary。''
‘‘We don't want Dr。 Alban；'' said Selma curtly。 ‘‘Go home； Jane； and let us alone。''
‘‘I shall go bring Dr。 Alban；'' said Jane。
Selma took her by the arm and compelled her into the hall； and closed the door into the room where Victor lay。 ‘‘You must go home； Jane；'' she said quietly。 ‘‘We know what to do with our leader。 And we could not allow Dr。 Alban here。''
‘‘Victor must have the best；'' said Jane。
She and Selma looked at each other； and Selma understood。
‘‘He HAS the best；'' said she； gentle with an effort。
‘‘Dr。 Alban is the best；'' said Jane。
‘‘The most fashionable；'' said Selma。 ‘‘Not the best。'' With restraint； ‘‘Go home。 Let us alone。 This is no place for youfor Martin Hastings' daughter。''
Jane； looking and acting like one in a trance； tried to push past her and reenter the room。 Selma stood firm。 She said： ‘‘If you do not go I shall have these men take you to your carriage。 You do not know what you are doing。''
Jane looked at her。 ‘‘I love him；'' she said。
‘‘So do we；'' said Selma。 ‘‘And he belongs to US。 You must go。 Come！'' She seized her by the arm； and beckoning one of the waiting Leaguers to her assistance she pushed her quietly but relentlessly along the hall； out of the house； out of the yard and into the carriage。 Then she closed the door； while Jane sank back against the cushions。
‘‘Yes； he belongs to you；'' said Jane； ‘‘but I love him。 Oh； Selma！''
Selma suddenly burst into tears。 ‘‘Go； Jane； dear。 You MUST go；'' she cried。
‘‘At least I'll wait here untiluntil they are sure；'' said Jane。 ‘‘You can't refuse me that； Selma。''
‘‘But they are sure；'' said Selma。 ‘‘You must go with your friends。 Here they come。''
When Ellen Clearwater and Joe Wetherbethe second son of the chief owner of the First National reached the curb； Selma said to Wetherbe：
‘‘Please stand aside。 I've someth
