"We'll go see the pictures. Come along."

It was not better than an animal, the creature who now turned facing
him, growling. "Get out!" said Johnnie to him. "No one--no one can pick
on me! I'll hit--I'll hit you. Whip any man in Jackson County. I'm
out--I'll hit anybody touches me. I guess I know!"

His sweeping blows about him with the club forced his father back, and
showed that any attempt to close with him would be dangerous. Adamson
retired to the gate. Johnnie went on smashing everything about him,
flower beds, chairs, a little table which stood on the front
gallery--anything left undestroyed by the more intelligent but not less
malignant visitors of the night before, who thus had set a pattern for
him.

"I want in," he said pleasantly after a time, seating himself on the
front steps. "Eejit--best man in Jackson County. She was good to me. She
spoke to me kind. I won't hurt her."

Aurora Lane could see him as she gazed out from behind the window
curtain. Her call on the telephone to the officer of the law had been
loud, insistent, the appeal of a woman in terror. But now, as she looked
out at Johnnie Adamson, something other than terror was in her wan
face;--something like surprise--something like conviction! The thought
brought with it no additional terror--rather it carried a swift ray of
hope!

It was toward eight o'clock in the morning now. Few were abroad on the
streets of Spring Valley, but now and then a passer-by turned to gaze at
a man who was hurrying across from the court and turning into Mulberry
Street. It was Dan Cowles, the sheriff, and they wondered where he was
going now.

Ephraim Adamson heard the hurrying approach as Dan Cowles came down the
street. The boy still was sitting on the steps. Suddenly he turned--and
caught sight of the face of Aurora Lane at the window. He rose, removed
his hat, and smirked.

"May I see you home?" said he. "Eejit--the best man in Jackson County. I
can hit anybody! I'll show you."

He was mowing, smirking, talking to her through the glass of the window
pane, jerking and twitching about, but he turned now when he heard the
steps of his father and the sheriff on the brick walk back of him.

"He's gone bad, Dan," said Adamson in a low tone to the sheriff. "We'll
have to lock him up. He'll have to go to the asylum. He's dangerous.
Look out!"

Suddenly the half-wit turned upon them. His eyes seemed fixed on the
star shining on the coat of Dan Cowles--identi