ss, lying on top of him with his hands upon his throat; and a girl
standing a little below them with a smoking pistol in her hand.

Before they had time to speak or move Olive called out, "Take that man
off my uncle."

In a moment the policeman, followed by the negro, ran down the steps and
pulled the black-headed man off the captain, and the limp body slipped
down several steps.

The policeman now turned toward Olive. "Take this," she said, handing
him the pistol. "I shot him. He was trying to kill my uncle."

The two men raised the captain to a sitting position. He was now
breathing, though in gasps, with his eyes opened.

The policeman took the pistol, looked at it, then at Olive, then at the
captain, and then down at the body on the steps. He was trying to get an
idea of what had happened without asking. If the negro had not been
present he might have asked questions, but this was an unusual
situation, and he felt his responsibility, and his importance. Olive now
stepped toward him, and in obedience to her quick gesture he bent his
head, and she whispered something to him. Instantly he was quivering
with excitement. He thrust the pistol into his pocket, and turned to the
negro. "Run," said he, "and get your cab! Don't say a word to a soul and
I will give you five dollars."

The moment the negro had departed Olive said: "Pick up that air-gun.
There, on the upper step." Then she went to her uncle and sat down by
him.

"Are you hurt?" she said. "Can you speak?"

The captain put his arm around her shoulder, fixing a loving look upon
her, and murmured, "You are as good as a man!"

The policeman picked up the air-gun, and gazed upon it as if it had been
a telegram in cipher from a detective. Then he tried to conceal it under
his coat, but it was too long.

"Let me have it," said Olive; "I will put it behind me."

She had barely concealed it when the cab drove up.

"Now," said the policeman, "you two must go with me. Can you walk, sir?"

"Oh, yes," said the captain in a voice clear, but weak.

Olive rose, holding the air-gun behind her, and the policeman and the
cabman helped the captain to the carriage. Olive followed, and the
policeman, actuated by some strong instinct, did not look around to see
if she were doing so. He had no more idea that she would run away than
that the stone steps would move. When he saw that she had taken the
air-gun into the carriage with her, he closed the door.

"Did your fall