from twenty
streets. As fast as the crowd grew, regiments appeared, and taking up
positions, lay at ease. There was something terrible about the quiet way
in which both crowd and troops increased. The mercury was not high, but
it promised to be a hot morning in New York. All the car lines took off
their cars. Trucks disappeared from the streets. The exchanges and the
banks closed their doors, and many hundred shops followed their example.
New York almost came to a standstill as order and anarchy faced each
other.

While these antagonistic forces still gathered, a man who had been
yelling to his own coterie of listeners in that dense crowd, extracted
himself, and limped towards Peter.

"Mr. Stirling," he shouted, "come out from those murderers. I want to
tell you something."

Peter went forward. "What is it, Podds?" he asked.

Podds dropped his voice. "We're out for blood to-day. But I don't want
yours, if you do murder my fellow-men. Get away from here, quick. Hide
yourself before the people rise in their might."

Peter smiled sadly. "How are Mrs. Podds and the children?" he asked
kindly.

"What is a family at such a moment?" shrieked Podds.

"The world is my family. I love the whole world, and I'm going to
revolutionize it. I'm going to give every man his rights. The gutters
shall reek with blood, and every plutocrat's castle shall be levelled to
the soil. But I'll spare you, for though you are one of the classes,
it's your ignorance, not your disposition, that makes you one. Get away
from here. Get away before it's too late."

Just then the sound of a horse's feet was heard, and a staff officer
came cantering from a side street into the square. He saluted Peter and
said, "Colonel Stirling, the governor has issued a proclamation
forbidding the meeting and parade. General Canfield orders you to clear
the Park, by pushing the mob towards Broadway. The regiments have been
drawn in so as to leave a free passage down the side streets."

"Don't try to move us a foot," screamed Podds, "or there'll be blood. We
claim the right of free meeting and free speech."

Even as he spoke, the two regiments formed, stiffened, fixed bayonets,
and moved forward, as if they were machines rather than two thousand
men.

"Brethren," yelled Podds, "the foot of the tyrant is on us. Rise. Rise
in your might." Then Podds turned to find the rigid line of bayonets
close upon him. He gave a spring, and grappled with Peter, throwing his