“Thatwouldbeenough，“saidtheChief。“Ihatetheideaofsmashingthroughthatcrowd。Yousee，someofthoseboyswentthroughhellwithmeandIhatetohurtthem。“
“Whynottryaruse？“suggestedMaitland。“Divideyourparty。Youtakefiveorsixcarswithconstablesupthehilltothatcrowdthere。Letmetakethestrikebreakersandtherestofthecarsandmakeadashtotheright。It’salongerwayroundbutwiththestreetsclear，wecanarriveatHeadquartersinaveryfewminutes。“
TheChiefconsideredtheplanforafewminutesinsilence。
“It’sagoodplan，Maitland，“hesaidatlength。“It’sagoodplan。Andwe’llputitthrough。I’llmakethefeintontheleft；
yourunthemthroughontheright。Ibelievewecanpullitoff。
Givemeafewminutestoengagetheirattentionbeforeyousetout。“
Everythingcameoffaccordingtoplan。AstheChief’sdetachmentofcarsapproachedthesolidmassofstrikers，theyslowlygavebackbeforethem。
“Clearthewaythere！“saidtheChief。“Wearegoingthrough！“
Stepbystepthecrowdgaveway，pressedbytheapproachingcars。
Suddenly，atawordofcommand，themassopenedranksandtheChiefsawbeforehimabarrieracrossthestreet，constructedoffencingtornfromneighbouringgardens，anupturneddeliverywagon，averyuglyandverysavage-lookingfieldharrowcommandeeredfromaneighbouringmarketgarden，withwicked-looking，protrudingteethandotherdebrisofvariedmaterial，butallhelpingtoproduceamosteffectivebarricade。SilentlytheChiefstoodforafewmoments，gazingattheobstruction。Acurious，ominousgrowloflaughterranthroughthemob。Thencameasharpwordofcommand:
“Unload！“
Aswithonemovementhispartyofconstableswereonthegroundandlinedupinfrontoftheircars，withtheirclubsandaxehandlesreadyforservice。Stillthemobwaitedinominoussilence。TheChiefdrewhisgunandsaidinaloud，clearvoice:
“Iamgoingtoclearawaythisbarricade。ThefirstmanthatofferstopreventmeIshallshootonthespot。“
“Iwouldn’tdothat，Chief，“saidavoicequietlyfromtherear。
“Thereareothers，youknow。Listen。“
Threeshotsrangoutinrapidsuccession，andagainsilencefell。
Meantimefromthecornerofthebarricadeamanhadbeenpeeringintothecars。
“Boys！“heshouted。“Theyain’tthere！Thereain’tnoscabs。“
TheChieflaughedquietly。
“Whosaidtherewere？“heasked。
“Sold，bythunder！“saidtheman。Thenheyelled:“We’llget’emyet。Comeon，boys，tothemainstreet。“
Likeadeer，hedoubleddownasidestreet，followedbythecrowd，yelling，cursing，swearingdeepoaths。
“Let’emgo，“saidtheChief。“Maitland’sgotthroughbythistime。“Ashespoke，twoshotsrangout，followedbythecrashofglass，andtheheadlightsofthefirstcarwentblack。
“Justaswellyoudidn’tgetthrough，Chief，“saidthevoiceofthepreviousspeaker。“Might’vegothurt，eh？“
“Giveittohim，Chief，“saidRupertsavagely。
“Nouse，“saidtheChief。“Lethimgo。“
Meanwhile，Maitland，withlittleornoopposition，hadgothiscarsthroughthecrowd，whichasamatteroffactwereunawareoftheidentityofthepartyuntilaftertheyhadbrokenthrough。
Theirwayledbyacircuitousroutethroughquietbackstreets，approachingPoliceHeadquartersfromtherear。Aten-minuterunbroughtthemtoashortsidestreetwhichledpasttheMaitlandMills，attheentrancetowhichtheysawundertheglareofthearclightsoverthegatewayacrowdblockingtheirway。
“Now，whatinthunderisthis？Holdupaminute，“saidMaitlandtohisdriver。“Letmetakealook。“Heranforwardtothemainentrance。Therehefoundthegateway，whichstoodalittleabovethestreetlevel，blockedbyanumberofhisownmen，someofwhomherecognisedasmembersofhishockeyteam，andamongthem，McNish。OutinthestreetamongthecrowdstoodSimmons，standingonabarrel，lashinghimselfintoafrenzyanddemandingblood，fire，revolution，andwhatnot。
“McNish，youhere？“saidMaitlandsharply。“Whatisit，peaceorwar？Speakquick！“
“A’mhauddenthesefulesbackfrathemill，“answeredMcNishwithascowl。Then，droppingintohisbookEnglish，hecontinuedbitterly:“Theyhavedoneenoughto-nightalready。Theyhavewreckedourcauseforus！“
“Youaredeadright，McNish，“answeredMaitland。“Andwhatdotheywanthere？“
“TheyaresomeofMcGinnis’smenandtheyaremadatthewayyouhandledthemoveryonder。Theyareboundtogetinhere。Theyareonlywaitingfortherestofthecrowd。Yoneejitdoesn’tknowwhatheissaying。Theyareallhalf-drunk。“
Maitland’smindworkedswiftly。“McNish，listen！“hesaid。“Iaminadeuceofafix。Ihavethescabsinthosecarstherewithme。
Thecrowdarefollowingmeup。WhatshallIdo？“
“MyGod，man，you’relost。They’lltearyetaebits。“
“McNish，listen。I’llrunthemintotheofficebythesidegatedownthestreet。Keepthembusyhere。LetthatfoolSimmonsspoutallhewants。He’llhelptomakearow。“
Hiseyesfelluponacrouchingfigureathisfeet。
“Whoisthis？It’sSam，byallthat’sholy！Why，Sam，youaretheverychapIwant。Listen，boy。SliparoundtothesidedoorandopenitwidetillIbringinsomecars。Thenshutandbaritquick。“Carefullyherepeatedhisinstructions。“Canyoudoit，Sam？“
“I’mawfulscared，Captain，“repliedtheboy，histeethchattering，“butI’lltryit。“
“Goodboy，“saidMaitland。“Don’tfailme，Sam。Theymightkillme。“
“Allright，Captain。I’lldoit！“AndSamdisappeared，crawlingunderthegate，whileMaitlandslippedbacktohiscarsandpassedthewordamongthedrivers。“Keepcloseupandstopfornothing！“
Theyhadalmostmadetheentrywhensomemanhangingontherearofthecrowdcaughtsightofthem。
“Scabs！Scabs！“criedtheman，dashingafterthecars。ButSamwasequaltohistask，andasthelastcarpassedthroughthegatewayheslammedandboltedthedoorintheirfaces。
Disposingofthestrike-breakersintheoffice，MaitlandandhisguardofspecialspassedoutsidetothemaingateandtooktheirplacesbesideMcNishandhisguard。Beforethemthemobhadbecomeamad，yelling，frenziedthing，bereftofpowerofthought，swayingunderthefuryoftheirpassionliketreetopsblownbystorm，reiteratinginhoarseandbrokencriesthesingleword“Scabs！
Scabs！“
“Keepthemgoingsomehow，McNish，“saidMaitland。“TheChiefwon’tbelongnow。“
McNishclimbedupuponthefenceand，heldinplacetherebytwospecials，liftedhishandforsilence。ButSimmons，whoalltooobviouslyhadfallenunderthespellofthebootleggers，knewtoowelltheperilofhiscause。Shrillandsavagerosehisvoice:
“Don’tlistento’im。’E’satraitor，ablankanddouble-blanktraitor。’Esoldus(h)up，’e’as。Don’tlistento’im。“
Likeamaniachespatoutthewordsfromhisfoam-fleckedlips，wavinghisarmsmadlyabouthishead。Reliefcamefromanunexpectedsource。SamWigglesworth，annoyedatSimmons’spersistenceandobservingthatMcNish，towhomasalabourleaderhefelthimselfbound，regardedtheoratingandgesticulatingSimmonswithdisfavour，reacheddownand，pullingasizableclubfrombeneaththebottomofafence，tookcarefulaimand，withtheaccuracyofthebaseballpitcherthathewas，hurleditattheswayingfigureuponthebarrel。TheclubcaughtSimmonsfairinthemouth，who，being，nonetoofirmlysetuponhispedestal，itselfaffordingawobblingfoothold，landedspattingandswearinginthearmsofhisfriendsbelow。Withthemercurialtempercharacteristicofacrowd，theyburstintoayelloflaughter。
“Gotoitnow，McNish！“saidMaitland。
Echoingthelaughter，McNishoncemorehelduphishand。“Earthtoearth，ashestoashes，“hesaidinhisdeepestandmostsolemntone。ThephenomenalabsurdityofajokefromthesolemnScotchmanagaintickledtheuncertaintemperamentofthecrowdintoboisterouslaughter。
“Men，listentaeme！“criedMcNish。“Yemadabadmistakethenicht。Infact，ye’realotoffules。Andthosewholedyeareworse，fortheyhavelostusthestrike，ifthatisanysatisfactiontaeye。Andnowyewanttodoanotherfulething。
Ye’remadjustbecauseyedidn’tknowenoughtokeepoutofthewet。“
Butatthispoint，amanfightinghiswayfromtherearofthecrowd，oncemoreraisedthecry“Scabs！“
“Keepthatfoolquiet，“saidMcNishsharply。
“Keepquietyourself，McNish，“repliedtheman，stillpushinghiswaytowardthefront。
“Heavenhelpusnow，“saidMaitland。“It’sTony，anddrunkatthat！“
ItwasindeedTony，withouthat，coatorvest。
“McNish，wewantthosescabs，“saidTony，indrunkengravity。
“Therearenaescabshere。Haudye’redrunkentongue，“saidMcNishsavagely。
“McNish，“persistedTonyinagraveandperfectlycourteoustone，“you’realiar。Thescabsareinthatoffice。“Aroaragainsweptthecrowd。
“Men，listentome，“pleadedMcNish。“A’lltellyeaboutthescabs。Theyareintheofficeyonder。ButIhaveCaptainMaitland’swordo’honourthattheywillbeshippedoutoftownbythefirsttrain。“
Asavageyellansweredhim。
“McNish，we’lldotheshipping，“saidTony，movingstillnearerthespeaker。
“Officer，“saidMaitlandsharplytoauniformedpolicemanstandingbyhisside，“arrestthatman！“pointingtoTony。
Thepolicemandrewhisbaton，tooktwostridesforward，seizedTonybythebackoftheneckanddrewhimin。Anangryyellwentupfromthemob。Maitlandfeltahanduponhisarm。Lookingdown，hesawtohishorroranddismayAnnette，herfacewhiteandstrickenwithgriefandterror。
“Oh，Jack，“shepleaded，“don’tletTonybearrested。Hebrokeawayfromus。Letmetakehim。Hewillcomewithme。Oh，letmetakehim！“
“Rescue！Rescue！“shoutedthecrowd，rushingthecordonofpoliceliningthestreet。
“Killhim！Killthetraitor！“yelledSimmons，strugglingthroughandwavingunsteadilytherevolverinhishand。“Downwiththattyrant，Maitland！Killhim！“heshrieked。
Heraisedhisarm，holdinghisgunwithbothhands。
“Lookout，Jack，“shriekedAnnette，flingingherselfonhim。
Simultaneouslywiththeshot，awoman’sscreamrangoutandAnnettefellbackintoMaitland’sarms。Asilencedeepasdeathfelluponthemob。
WithagroanMcNishdroppedfromthefencebesidethegirl。
Annetteopenedhereyesand，lookingupintoMaitland’sface，whispered:“Hedidn’tgetyou，Jack。I’msoglad。“
“Oh，Annette，deargirl！He’skilledyou！“
“It’s——all——right——Jack，“shewhispered。“I——saved——you。“
MeanwhileMcNish，withherhandcaughtinhis，wassobbing:“God，havemercy！She’sdeed！She’sdeed！“
Annetteagainopenedhereyes。“PoorMalcolm，“shewhispered。
“DearMalcolm。“Then，closinghereyesagain，quietlyasatiredchild，shesankintounconsciousness。ThebigScotchman，stillkissingherhand，sobbed:
“Puirlassie，puirlassie！MaGod！MaGod！Whatnow？Whatnow？“
“Sheisdead。Thegirlisdead。“Thewordpassedfromliptolipamongthecrowd，whichstillheldmotionlessandsilent。
“We’llgetherintotheoffice，“saidMaitland。
“A’lltakher，“saidMcNish，and，stoppingdown，heliftedhertenderlyinhisarms，stoodforamomentfacingthecrowd，andtheninavoiceofunutterablesadnessthattoldofabrokenheart，hesaid:“Ye’vekilledher。Ye’vekilledthepuirlassie。Areyecontent？“Andpassedinthroughthegate，holdingthemotionlessformclosetohisheart。
Ashepassedwithhispatheticburden，themenonguardatthegatebaredtheirheads。Immediatelyoneveryhandthroughoutthecrowdmentookofftheirhatsandstoodsilenttillhehaddisappearedfromtheirsight。Inthepresenceofthatpoignantgrieftheirrageagainsthimceased，sweptoutoftheirheartsbyanoverwhelmingpity。
Inoneswiftinstantadoorhadopenedfromanotherandunknownworld，andthroughtheopendooraPresence，majestic，imperious，hadmovedinuponthem，witheringwithHisicybreaththeirhotpassions，smitingtheirnoisyclamourtoguiltysilence。
