iles of mob, and five hundred police winked at
personal acquaintances in the shouting, seething throng, and contented
themselves with occasional hustling of some manifestly friendless tramp
or the vigorous arrest of some vagrant boy.

Prominent business men in a body went to the Mayor and demanded action.
Others had already wired the Governor. The Colonels of the city
regiments who had, of their own accord, warned their men to be in
readiness, got their orders for service at 3.50 in the afternoon, and at
4.45 Corporal Fred came bounding in across the threshold of his home to
kiss his mother and sisters good-by and hasten into town where, ready
packed, was his knapsack with his blanket, uniform, arms, and
ammunition, at the regimental armory.

The roar of the multitude at the yards only a block away rose hoarse and
vibrant on the sultry air. The dust was sifting down in smothering
clouds. Drawn thither by curiosity numbers of women and children had
gathered at the upper end of the street, and were thronging the porches,
windows, and even the roofs of the frame houses that covered the
neighborhood. "What ever you do, mother," said Fred, "keep away from the
crowd, and keep the girls at home. Has Jim been in?"

"No, he hasn't come back," was the almost tearful answer. "Your father
said he would try to find him when he went to the shops after dinner. I
wish he had kept away from those meetings. No good can ever come of such
rioting."

"I haven't a moment to lose, mother," said Fred, kissing away the tears
now brimming in her eyes, "but I must go across the tracks to get to the
cable-cars, and he may be there. If so, I'll try to make him promise to
come home."

It was a tearful group the gallant young fellow left behind him on the
narrow porch, as he strode swiftly up the street. Some fifty yards away
he turned and waved his hat to them, then disappeared among the groups
of women excitedly, nervously watching the proceedings. The throng grew
denser as he neared the white rod gates that were lowered to close the
crossing with every sign of coming train or switch engine. Ordinarily
they were rising and falling and their warning gongs trilling every
other minute, but not once this long June day had their white fingers
ceased to point straight to the zenith. At the crossing a solitary and
perspiring policeman was swinging loosely his club and occasionally
drawling "Come, get back out of this," and laying benevolent hand on t