as he was
falling kicked him full in his face. Immediately another, jumping on
Shock's prostrate form, began kicking him savagely with his heavy
calked boots.

"Give it to him!" yelled Nancy, dancing about like a fiend.

"Stop! Stop! You have killed him!" shrieked the young girl, Nellie by
name, throwing herself upon Shock and covering him with her body.

"Get up, you blank fool!" yelled Nancy, seizing her by the hair.

At this moment, however, The Don, freed from Hickey, sprang to Shock's
side, seized Nancy by the back of the neck and hurled her across the
room, caught the man who was still trying to kick Shock to death, by
the throat, and holding him at half arm struck him a terrific blow and
threw him like a log against his companion, who came rushing to his
assistance.

Meantime Nancy, still shrieking her refrain, "Kill him! kill him!" was
dragging forward Hickey, who had partially recovered from The Don's
blow, to renew the attack.

"Come on, you cowards!" she cried to the other men. "What are you
afraid of? Come on."

Stung by her taunts the men, led by Hickey, prepared to rush, when the
door opened and Sergeant Crisp appeared. Immediately the men who had
attacked Shock vanished through the back door.

"Hickey, I want you. Stand where you are. You too, Nancy, and every man
of you. What's this? Someone hurt? Why, it's the preacher. This may be
serious," he continued, drawing his revolver. "Don't move. Not a man of
you. What does this mean?" he asked, addressing The Don.

"My friend there," said The Don, "came for me. We were going out when
they attacked us."

"Go and get help," replied the Sergeant. "We will carry him to the
hospital. You would, eh?" to one of the men who started for the door.
"Here, put up your hands. Quick!" There was a flash and a click, and
the man stood handcuffed.

In a few moments The Don came back with help, and they carried Shock,
groaning and bleeding, to the hospital, while the Sergeant, putting a
man in charge of Nancy and her gang, accompanied The Don.

In an agony of remorseful solicitude for his friend, and cursing
himself for his folly, The Don directed the movements of the bearers.

In the darkness behind them came the girl Nellie, following to the door
of the hospital.

"What are you after?" said Sergeant Crisp sharply. "We don't want you
here."

"I want to see the doctor," she said earnestly.

"Well?" said The Don, facing round to her.

"Let me nurse him,"