to him that hath-第49章
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Failing to move the girl； Vic sprang to the wheel again。
〃I will get you away from this； anyway；〃 he said。
〃But Annette！〃 cried Patricia。 〃We can't leave her！〃
But Vic made no reply； and at his touch the machine leaped forward；
and none too soon； for already men were crowding about the car on
every side。
〃We are well out of that！〃 said Vic coolly。 〃And now I will take
you all home。 Hello！ They're messing up McGinnis's things a bit；〃
he added； as the sound of crashing glass came to their ears。
Through the quiet streets the car flew like a hunted thing； and in
a very few minutes they were at the Rectory door。
〃No fuss； now； Patricia；〃 said Adrien。 〃we must not alarm Mamma。
All steady。〃
〃Right you are！ Steady it is！〃 said Patricia springing from the
car。 Quietly but swiftly they got the woman and the child indoors。
〃Hugh！ Rupert！〃 said Adrien； speaking in a quiet voice。 〃Vic
needs you out there。 That is a wild car of yours； Rupert；〃 she
added with a laugh。 〃It fairly flies。〃 Gathering in her hands the
men's hats and sticks； she hurried them out of the door。
〃Cheerio！〃 cried Vic。 〃A lovely war is going on down at the
McGinnis plant。 Get in and let us plan a campaign。 First； to
Police Headquarters； I suppose。〃 As they flew through the streets
Vic gave them in a few words a picture of the scenes he had just
witnessed。
They found the Chief of Police in his office。 At their first word
he was on the move。
〃I was afraid of this thing when that fool parade started；〃 he
said。 〃Sergeant； send out the general alarm！〃
〃How many men have you； Chief？〃 inquired Hugh。
〃About twenty…five； all told。 But they are all over the town。 How
many men are down there？〃
〃There are five hundred； at least； possibly a thousand； raging like
wild bulls of Bashan。〃
As he spoke； another car came tearing up and Jack Maitland sprang
from the wheel。
〃Are you in need of help； Chief？〃 he asked quietly。
〃All the good men we can get；〃 said the Chief curtly。 〃But first
we must get the Mayor here。 Sergeant； get him on the phone。〃
〃You go for him； Vic；〃 said Jack。
〃Righto！〃 cried Vic。 〃But count me in on this。〃
In fifteen minutes Vic was back with the Mayor； helpless with
nervous excitement。
〃Get your men out； Chief！〃 he shouted； as he sprang from the car。
〃Get them out quick； arrest those devils and lock 'em up！ We'll
show them a thing or two！ Hurry up！ What are you waiting for？〃
〃Mr。 Mayor；〃 Jack's clear； firm； cool voice arrested the Mayor's
attention。 〃May I suggest that you swear in some special
constables？ The Chief will need help and some of us here would be
glad to assist。〃
〃Yes！ Yes！ For God's sake； hurry up！ Here's the clerk。 How do
you swear them in； clerk？〃
〃The Chief of Police has all the necessary authority。〃
〃All right； Chief。 Swear them！ Swear them！ For heaven's sake；
swear them！ Here； you； Maitlandand you； Maynardand Stillwell〃
With cool； swift efficiency born of his experience in the war； the
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。 B
