the foreigner-第15章

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Again　a　murmur　of　voices　arose。

〃Dis　Polak　man；〃　said　Jacob；　〃and　Rosenblatt；　and　dat　man　dere；　and〃

Half　a　dozen　voices　rose　in　explanation；　and　half　a　dozen　hands　eagerly　pointed　out　the　big　Dalmatian；　who　stood　back　among　the　crowd　pale　with　terror。

〃Come　up　here；　you；〃　said　the　Sergeant　to　him。

Instead　of　responding；　with　one　bound　the　Dalmatian　was　at　the　door；　and　hurled　the　two　men　aside　as　if　they　were　wooden　pegs。　But　before　he　could　tear　open　the　door；　the　Sergeant　was　on　him。　At　once　the　Dalmatian　grappled　with　him　in　a　fierce　struggle。　There　was　a　quick　angry　growl　from　the　crowd。　　They　all　felt　themselves　to　be　in　an　awkward　position。　　Once　out　of　the　room；　it　would　be　difficult　for　any　police　officer　to　associate　them　in　any　way　with　the　crime。　　The　odds　were　forty　to　one。　　Why　not　make　a　break　for　liberty？　　A　rush　was　made　for　the　struggling　pair　at　the　door。

〃Get　back　there！〃　roared　the　Sergeant；　swinging　his　baton　and　holding　off　his　man　with　the　other　hand。

At　the　same　instant　the　doctor；　springing　up　from　his　patient；　and　taking　in　the　situation；　put　down　his　head　and　bored　through　the　crowd　in　the　manner　which　at　one　time　had　been　the　admiration　and　envy　of　his　fellow…students　in　Manitoba　College；　till　he　found　himself　side　by　side　with　the　Sergeant。

〃Well　done！〃　cried　the　Sergeant；　in　cheerful　approval；　〃you　are　the　lad！　　We　will　just　be　teaching　these　chaps　a　fery　good　lesson；　whateffer；〃　continued　the　Sergeant；　lapsing　in　his　excitement　into　his　native　dialect。　　〃Here　you；〃　he　cried　to　the　big　Dalmatian　who　was　struggling　and　kicking　in　a　frenzy　of　fear　and　rage；　〃will　you　not　keep　quiet？　　Take　that　then。〃　　And　he　laid　no　gentle　tap　with　his　baton　across　the　head　of　his　captive。

The　Dalmatian　staggered　to　the　wall　and　collapsed。　　There　was　a　flash　of　steel　and　a　click；　and　he　lay　handcuffed　and　senseless　at　the　Sergeant's　side。

〃I　hate　to　do　that；〃　said　the　Sergeant　apologetically；　〃but　on　this　occasion　it　cannot　be　helped。　　That　was　a　good　one；　Doctor；〃　he　continued；　as　the　doctor　planted　his　left　upon　an　opposing　Galician　chin；　thereby　causing　a　sudden　subsidence　of　its　owner。　　〃These　men　have　not　got　used　to　us　yet；　and　we　will　just　have　to　be　patient　with　them；〃　said　the　Sergeant；　laying　about　with　his　baton　as　opportunity　offered；　not　in　any　slashing　wholesale　manner；　but　making　selection；　and　delivering　his　blows　with　the　eye　and　hand　of　an　artist。　　He　was　handling　the　situation　gently　and　with　discretion。　　Still　the　crowd　kept　pressing　hard　upon　the　two　men　at　the　door。

〃We　must　put　a　stop　to　this；〃　said　the　Sergeant　seriously。　　〃Here　you！〃　he　called　to　Jacob　above　the　uproar。

Jacob　pushed　nearer　to　him。

〃Tell　these　fellows　that　I　am　not　wanting　to　hurt　any　of　them；　but　if　they　do　not　get　quiet　soon；　I　will　attack　them　and　will　not　spare　them；　and　that　if　they　quit　their　fighting；　none　of　them　will　be　hurt　except　the　guilty　party。〃

At　once　Jacob　sprang　upon　a　beer　keg　and　waving　his　arms　wildly；　he　secured　a　partial　silence；　and　translated　for　them　the　Sergeant's　words。

〃And　tell　them；　too；〃　said　the　doctor　in　a　high；　clear　voice；　〃there　is　a　man　dying　over　there　that　I　have　got　to　attend　to　right　now；　and　I　haven't　time　for　this　foolishness。〃

As　he　spoke；　he　once　more　bored　his　way　through　the　crowd　to　the　side　of　Rosenblatt；　who　was　continuing　to　gasp　painfully　and　spit　blood。　　The　moment　of　danger　was　past。　　The　excited　crowd　settled　down　again　into　an　appearance　of　stupid　anxiety；　awaiting　they　knew　not　what。

〃Now　then；〃　said　the　Sergeant；　turning　to　the　Dalmatian　who　had　recovered　consciousness　and　was　standing　sullen　and　passive。　　He　had　made　his　attempt　for　liberty；　he　had　failed；　and　now　he　was　ready　to　accept　his　fate。　　〃Ask　him　what　is　his　name；〃　said　the　Sergeant。

〃He　say　his　name　John　Jarema。〃

〃And　what　has　he　got　to　say　for　himself？〃

At　this　the　Dalmatian　began　to　speak　with　eager　gesticulation。

〃What　is　he　saying？〃　enquired　the　Sergeant。

〃Dis　man　say　he　no　hurt　no　man。　　Dis　man；〃　pointing　to　the　dead　Polak；　〃play　cards；　fight；　stab　knife　into　his　arm；〃　said　Jacob；　pulling　up　the　Dalmatian's　coat　sleeve　to　show　an　ugly　gash　in　the　forearm。　　〃Jarema　bit　him　on　head；　shake　him　bad；　and　trow　him　in　corner　on　noder　man。〃

Again　the　Dalmatian　broke　forth。

〃He　say　he　got　no　knife　at　all。　　He　cannot　make　hole　like　dat　wit'　his　finger。〃

〃Well；　we　shall　see　about　that；〃　said　the　Sergeant。　　〃Now　where　is　that　other　man？〃　　He　turned　toward　the　corner。　　The　corner　was　empty。　　〃Where　has　he　gone？〃　said　the　Sergeant；　peering　through　the　crowd　for　a　black…whiskered　face。

The　man　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　　The　Sergeant　was　puzzled　and　angered。　　He　lined　the　men　up　around　the　walls；　but　the　man　was　not　to　be　found。　　As　each　man　uttered　his　name；　there　were　always　some　to　recognize　and　to　corroborate　the　information。　　One　man　alone　seemed　a　stranger　to　all　in　the　company。　　He　was　clean　shaven；　but　for　a　moustache　with　ends　turned　up　in　military　manner；　and　with　an　appearance　of　higher　intelligence　than　the　average　Galician。

〃Ask　him　his　name；〃　said　the　Sergeant。

The　man　replied　volubly；　and　Jacob　interpreted。

〃His　name；　Rudolph　Polkoff；　Polak　man。　　Stranger；　come　to　dis　town　soon。　　Know　no　man　here。　　Some　man　bring　him　here　to　dance。〃

The　Sergeant　kept　his　keen　eye　fastened　on　the　man　while　he　talked。

〃Well；　he　looks　like　a　smart　one。　　Come　here；〃　he　said；　beckoning　the　stranger　forward　into　the　better　light。

The　man　came　and　stood　with　his　back　to　Rosenblatt。

〃Hold　up　your　hands。〃

The　man　stared　blankly。　　Jacob　interpreted。　　He　hesitated　a　moment；　then　held　up　his　hands　above　his　head。　　The　Sergeant　turned　him　about。

〃You　will　not　be　having　any　weepons　on　you？〃　said　the　Sergeant；　searching　his　pockets。　　〃Hello！　　What's　this？〃　　He　pulled　out　the　false　beard。

The　same　instant　there　was　a　gasping　cry　from　Rosenblatt。　　All　turned　in　his　direction。　　Into　his　dim　eyes　and　pallid　face　suddenly　sprang　life；　fear　and　hate　struggling　to　find　expression　in　the　look　he　fixed　upon　the　stranger。　　With　a　tremendous　effort　he　raised　his　hand；　and　pointing　to　the　stranger　with　a　long；　dirty　finger；　he　gasped；　〃Arresthe　murder〃　and　fell　back　again　unconscious。

Even　as　he　spoke　there　was　a　quick　movement。　　The　lantern　was　dashed　to　the　ground；　the　room　plunged　into　darkness　and　before　the　Sergeant　knew　what　had　happened；　the　stranger　had　shaken　himself　free　from　his　grasp；　torn　open　the　door　and　fled。

With　a　mighty　oath；　the　Sergeant　was　after　him；　but　the　darkness　and　the　crowd　interfered　with　his　progress；　and　by　the　time　he　had　reached　the　door；　the　man　had　completely　vanished。　　At　the　door　stood　Murchuk　with　the　ambulance。

〃See　a　man　run　out　here？〃　demanded　the　Sergeant。

〃You　bet！　　He　run　like　buck　deer。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　stop　him？〃　cried　the　Sergeant。

〃Stop　him！〃　replied　the　astonished　Murchuk；　〃would　you　stop　a　mad　crazy　bull？　　No；　no；　not　me。〃

〃Get　that　man　inside　to　the　hospital　then。　　He　won't　hurt　you；〃　exclaimed　the　Sergeant　in　wrathful　contempt。　　〃I'll　catch　that　man　if　I　have　to　arrest　every　Galician　in　this　city！〃

It　was　an　unspeakable　humiliation　to　the　Sergeant；　but　with　such　vigour　did　he　act；　that　before　the　morning　dawned；　he　had　every　exit　from　the　city　by　rail　and　by　trail　under　surveillance；　and　before　a　week　was　past；　by　adopting　the　very　simple　policy　of　arresting　every　foreigner　who　attempted　to　leave　the　town；　he　had　secured　his　man。

It　was　a　notable　arrest。　　From　all　the　evidence；　it　seemed　that　the　prisoner　was　a　most　dangerous　criminal。　　The　principal　source　of　evidence；　however；　was　Rosenblatt；　whose　deposition　was　taken　down　by　the　Sergeant　and　the　doctor。

The　man；　it　appeared；　was　known　by　many　names；　Koval；　Kolowski；　Polkoff　and　others；　but　his　real　name　was　Michael　Kalmar。　　He　was　a　determined　and　desperate　Nihilist；　was　wanted　for　many　crimes　by　the　Russian　police；　and　had　spent　some　years　as　a　convict　in　Siberia　where；　if　justice　had　its　due；　he　would　be　at　the　present　time。　　He　had　cast　off　his　wife　and　children；　whom　he　had　shipped　to　Canada。　　Incidentally　it　came　out　that　it　was　only　Rosenblatt's　generosity　that　had　intervened　between　them　and　starvation。　　Ba