ake hands with him, but the old foreman only
very formally touched his hat as he said good-by.

"Where have I been? How did I escape?" he finally said in answer to
appeals of friends and neighbors. "I've been spending the night in
jail--with other desperate characters. I escaped by being arrested--in
Jim's coat--as a leader of the riot. Where's Jim?"

This was actually the case. Too few in number to effect anything in face
of such a mob, some police officers, scouting about their heels, had
caught sudden sight of old Wallace issuing with defiant air from the
side door of the threatened shops. These officers were new to that
section and had never seen him before, but his demeanor, his dress, his
badge all stamped him as a man prominent in the outbreak, and despite
his protestations they bundled him with a load of other prisoners into a
patrol wagon, and sent him to the main station two miles away. Not until
this morning could he secure recognition and a hearing. The old man was
exceeding wroth, but his wife was thankful. "He'd have been killed,"
said she, "if he hadn't been jailed."

But despite his indignation, old Wallace was on hand a few hours later
when a pleasing little ceremony was enacted at the Amity Works. There
the "backwoods boys" were drawn up in line to listen to some remarks of
their Colonel. A man of few words was that veteran when on duty, but
everybody seemed to know what was coming as he halted in front of them,
and Corporal Fred brought his rifle to the carry, stepped a few paces
forward, and stood there a little white, a little tremulous with
emotion.

"Men of Company L," the Colonel said, "you've done soldierly
service--valuable service, one and all, and some day I hope you'll get
the recognition you deserve; but there's one of your number who even
more than the rest deserves a word. Within twelve hours of the call for
duty Corporal Fred Wallace has had the conspicuous honors of being
discharged from his clerkship for obeying the summons, being knocked
senseless while doing it, being the guide of his regiment into the thick
of the riot, and finally of saving the life, at the risk of his own, of
the very man who discharged him.

"It has been your province during the night to convert some few rioters,
but it has been his to convert what is termed 'a soulless corporation,'
and I know you'll all be glad to hear him promoted sergeant on the spot.
So much for our side. Now we'll hear Mr. Manager Mann