is man. He could have reached for his throat.
He drew his coat collar more closely about his neck and unbuttoned the
lower buttons to give his legs freer play. The officer moved back a
little, still retaining his grip on the girl's arm.

"Well," he said, "yer better get outern here now, or I'll run you in,
too."

"No," answered Wilson, "you'll not run in either of us."

"I won't, eh? Move on lively----"

"You go to the devil," said Wilson, with quiet deliberation.

He saw the night stick swing for him, and, throwing his full weight
against the officer, he lifted his arm and swung up under the chin.
Then he seized the girl's hand.

"Run," he gasped, "run for all you're worth!"

They ran side by side and darted down the first turn. They heard the
sharp oath, the command, and then the heavy beat of the steps behind
them. Wilson kept the girl slightly ahead of him, pushing and
steadying her, although he soon found that she was quite as fleet as
he himself was. She ran easily, from the hips, like one who has been
much out of doors.

Their breath came in gasps, but they still heard the heavy steps
behind them and pushed on. As they turned another corner to the left
they caught the sharp bark of a pistol and saw the spat of a bullet on
the walk to the right of them. But this street was much darker, and
so, while there was the added danger from stumbling, they felt safer.

"He's getting winded," shouted Wilson to her. "Keep on."

Soon they came to a blank wall, but to the left they discovered an
alley. A whiff of salt air beat against their faces, and Wilson knew
they were in the market road which led along the water front in the
rear of the stone houses. He had come here from the park on hot days.
There were but few lights, and these could not carry ten yards through
the mist. Pressing on, he kept at her back until she began to totter,
and then he paused.

"A little further," he said. "We'll go on tiptoe."

They stole on, pressing close to the wall which bounded the small back
yards, making no more noise than shadows. Finally the girl fell back
against him.

"You--you go on!" she begged.

Wilson drew her to his side and pressed back against one of the wooden
doors, holding his breath to listen. He could barely make out the
sodden steps and--they were receding.

The mist beat in damply upon their faces, but they could not feel it
in the joy of their new-found freedom. Before them all was black, the
road indi