to him that hath-第51章
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laughter ran through the mob。 Then came a sharp word of command：
〃Unload！〃
As with one movement his party of constables were on the ground and
lined up in front of their cars； with their clubs and axe handles
ready for service。 Still the mob waited in ominous silence。 The
Chief drew his gun and said in a loud； clear voice：
〃I am going to clear away this barricade。 The first man that
offers to prevent me I shall shoot on the spot。〃
〃I wouldn't do that； Chief；〃 said a voice quietly from the rear。
〃There are others； you know。 Listen。〃
Three shots rang out in rapid succession； and again silence fell。
Meantime from the corner of the barricade a man had been peering
into the cars。
〃Boys！〃 he shouted。 〃They ain't there！ There ain't no scabs。〃
The Chief laughed quietly。
〃Who said there were？〃 he asked。
〃Sold； by thunder！〃 said the man。 Then he yelled： 〃We'll get 'em
yet。 Come on； boys； to the main street。〃
Like a deer； he doubled down a side street； followed by the crowd；
yelling； cursing； swearing deep oaths。
〃Let 'em go；〃 said the Chief。 〃Maitland's got through by this
time。〃 As he spoke； two shots rang out； followed by the crash of
glass； and the headlights of the first car went black。
〃Just as well you didn't get through； Chief；〃 said the voice of the
previous speaker。 〃Might've got hurt； eh？〃
〃Give it to him； Chief；〃 said Rupert savagely。
〃No use；〃 said the Chief。 〃Let him go。〃
Meanwhile； Maitland； with little or no opposition； had got his cars
through the crowd； which as a matter of fact were unaware of the
identity of the party until after they had broken through。
Their way led by a circuitous route through quiet back streets；
approaching Police Headquarters from the rear。 A ten…minute run
brought them to a short side street which led past the Maitland
Mills； at the entrance to which they saw under the glare of the arc
lights over the gateway a crowd blocking their way。
〃Now； what in thunder is this？ Hold up a minute；〃 said Maitland to
his driver。 〃Let me take a look。〃 He ran forward to the main
entrance。 There he found the gateway； which stood a little above
the street level； blocked by a number of his own men； some of whom
he recognised as members of his hockey team； and among them；
McNish。 Out in the street among the crowd stood Simmons； standing
on a barrel； lashing himself into a frenzy and demanding blood；
fire； revolution； and what not。
〃McNish； you here？〃 said Maitland sharply。 〃What is it； peace or
war？ Speak quick！〃
〃A'm haudden these fules back fra the mill；〃 answered McNish with
a scowl。 Then； dropping into his book English； he continued
bitterly： 〃They have done enough to…night already。 They have
wrecked our cause for us！〃
〃You are dead right； McNish；〃 answered Maitland。 〃And what do they
want here？〃
〃They are some of McGinnis's men and they are mad at the way you
handled them over yonder。 They are bound to get in here。 They are
only waiting for the rest of the crowd。 Yon eejit doesn't know
what he is saying。 They are all half…drunk。〃
Maitland's mind worked swiftly。 〃McNish； listen！〃 he said。 〃I am
in a deuce of a fix。 I have the scabs in those cars there with me。
The crowd are following me up。 What shall I do？〃
〃My God； man； you're lost。 They'll tear ye tae bits。〃
〃McNish； listen。 I'll run them into the office by the side gate
down the street。 Keep them busy here。 Let that fool Simmons spout
all he wants。 He'll help to make a row。〃
His eyes fell upon a crouching figure at his feet。
〃Who is this？ It's Sam； by all that's holy！ Why； Sam； you are the
very chap I want。 Listen； boy。 Slip around to the side door and
open it wide till I bring in some cars。 Then shut and bar it
quick。〃 Carefully he repeated his instructions。 〃Can you do it；
Sam？〃
〃I'm awful scared； Captain；〃 replied the boy； his teeth chattering；
〃but I'll try it。〃
〃Good boy；〃 said Maitland。 〃Don't fail me； Sam。 They might kill
me。〃
〃All right； Captain。 I'll do it！〃 And Sam disappeared； crawling
under the gate； while Maitland slipped back to his cars and passed
the word among the drivers。 〃Keep close up and stop for nothing！〃
They had almost made the entry when some man hanging on the rear of
the crowd caught sight of them。
〃Scabs！ Scabs！〃 cried the man； dashing after the cars。 But Sam
was equal to his task； and as the last car passed through the
gateway he slammed and bolted the door in their faces。
Disposing of the strike…breakers in the office； Maitland and his
guard of specials passed outside to the main gate and took their
places beside McNish and his guard。 Before them the mob had become
a mad； yelling； frenzied thing； bereft of power of thought； swaying
under the fury of their passion like tree tops blown by storm；
reiterating in hoarse and broken cries the single word 〃Scabs！
Scabs！〃
〃Keep them going somehow； McNish；〃 said Maitland。 〃The Chief won't
be long now。〃
McNish climbed up upon the fence and； held in place there by two
specials； lifted his hand for silence。 But Simmons； who all too
obviously had fallen under the spell of the bootleggers； knew too
well the peril of his cause。 Shrill and savage rose his voice：
〃Don't listen to 'im。 'E's a traitor； a blank and double…blank
traitor。 'E sold us （h）up； 'e 'as。 Don't listen to 'im。〃
Like a maniac he spat out the words from his foam…flecked lips；
waving his arms madly about his head。 Relief came from an
unexpected source。 Sam Wigglesworth； annoyed at Simmons's
persistence and observing that McNish； to whom as a labour leader
he felt himself bound； regarded the orating and gesticulating
Simmons with disfavour； reached down and； pulling a sizable club
from beneath the bottom of a fence； took careful aim and； with the
accuracy of the baseball pitcher that he was； hurled it at the
swaying figure upon the barrel。 The club caught Simmons fair in
the mouth； who； being； none too firmly set upon his pedestal；
itself affording a wobbling foothold； landed spatting and swearing
in the arms of his friends below。 With the mercurial temper
characteristic of a crowd； they burst into a yell of laughter。
〃Go to it now； McNish！〃 said Maitland。
Echoing the laughter； McNish once more held up his hand。 〃Earth to
earth； ashes to ashes；〃 he said in his deepest and most solemn
tone。 The phenomenal absurdity of a joke from the solemn Scotchman
again tickled the uncertain temperament of the crowd into
boisterous laughter。
〃Men； listen tae me！〃 cried McNish。 〃Ye mad a bad mistake the
nicht。 In fact； ye're a lot of fules。 And those who led ye are
worse； for they have lost us the strike； if that is any
satisfaction tae ye。 And now ye want to do another fule thing。
Ye're mad just because ye didn't know enough to keep out of the
wet。〃
But at this point； a man fighting his way from the rear of the
crowd； once more raised the cry 〃Scabs！〃
〃Keep that fool quiet；〃 said McNish sharply。
〃Keep quiet yourself； McNish；〃 replied the man； still pushing his
way toward the front。
〃Heaven help us now；〃 said Maitland。 〃It's Tony； and drunk at
that！〃
It was indeed Tony； without hat； coat or vest。
〃McNish； we want those scabs；〃 said Tony； in drunken gravity。
〃There are nae scabs here。 Haud ye're drunken tongue；〃 said McNish
savagely。
〃McNish；〃 persisted Tony in a grave and perfectly courteous tone；
〃you're a liar。 The scabs are in that office。〃 A roar again swept
the crowd。
〃Men； listen to me；〃 pleaded McNish。 〃A'll tell ye about the
scabs。 They are in the office yonder。 But I have Captain
Maitland's word o' honour that they will be shipped out of town
by the first train。〃
A savage yell answered him。
〃McNish； we'll do the shipping；〃 said Tony； moving still nearer the
speaker。
〃Officer；〃 said Maitland sharply to a uniformed policeman standing
by his side； 〃arrest that man！〃 pointing to Tony。
The policeman drew his baton； took two strides forward； seized Tony
by the back of the neck and drew him in。 An angry yell went up
from the mob。 Maitland felt a hand upon his arm。 Looking down； he
saw to his horror and dismay Annette； her fac
