t on: "I tell you, Dave, you had better cut loose
from your crowd. Some of them are going to get into trouble. You can't
afford to have them running to you--calling you their master."

He took from his pocket a folded paper. "We've been drafting a
constitution, Hall McAllister and I." He read the rather stereotyped
beginning. Broderick displayed small interest until Benito reached the
conclusion:

WE ARE DETERMINED THAT NO THIEF, BURGLAR, INCENDIARY OR
ASSASSIN SHALL ESCAPE PUNISHMENT EITHER BY THE QUIBBLES OF
THE LAW, THE INSECURITY OF PRISONS, THE CARELESSNESS AND
CORRUPTION OF POLICE OR A LAXITY OF THOSE WHO PRETEND TO
ADMINISTER JUSTICE.

"And do you mean," asked Broderick, "that these men will take the law
into their own hands; that they'll apprehend so-called criminals and
presume to mete out punishment according to their own ideas of justice?"

"I mean just that," returned Benito.

"Why--it's extraordinary," Broderick objected. "It's mob law--organized
banditti."

"You'll find it nothing of the sort," cried Windham hotly.

"How can it be otherwise?' asked Broderick. What's to prevent rascals
taking advantage of such a movement--running it to suit themselves?
They're much cleverer than honest, men; more powerful.... Else do you
think I'd use my political machine? No, no, Benito, this is
farce--disaster."

"Read this, then," urged Benito, and he thrust into the other's hand a
list of some two hundred names. Broderick perused it with growing
gravity. It represented the flower of San Francisco's business and
professional aristocracy, men of all political creeds, religious, social
affiliations.

* * * * *

A few days afterward Broderick conferred with his lieutenants. Word went
forth that he had cut his leading strings to city politics. Rumors of a
storm were in the air. When it would break no one could say with
certainty. The Committee of Vigilance had quietly established quarters
on Battery street near Pine, where several secret meetings had been held
and officers elected. These were not made known. Members were designated
by numerals instead of names. Some said they wore masks but this was an
unproven rumor.

Broderick, brooding on these things one afternoon, was suddenly aware of
many people running. He descried a man hastening down Long Wharf toward
the bay. "Stop thief!" some one shouted. Others took it up. Broderick
found himself running, to