e mob was
insane with fury. Twice Mr. Winter was dragged off his feet by those
down on the walk. Twice Philip raised him to his feet, feeling sure that
if the crowd once threw him down they would trample him to death. Once
some one threw a rope over the wretched man's head. Both he and Mr.
Winter were struck again and again. Their clothes were torn into
tatters. Mr. Winter was faint and reeling. Only his great terror made
his clutch on Philip like that of a drowning man.

At last the crowd had dragged the two outside the gate into the street.
Here they paused awhile and Philip again spoke to the mob:

"Men, made in God's image, listen to me! Do not take innocent life. If
you kill him, you kill me also. For I will never leave his side alive,
and I will not permit such murder if I can prevent it."

"Kill them both--the bloody coward and the priest!" yelled a voice.
"They both belong to the same church."

"Yes, hang 'em! hang 'em both!" A tempest of cries went up. Philip
towered up like a giant. In the light of the street lamp he looked out
over the great sea of passionate, brutal faces, crazed with drink and
riot, and a great wave of compassionate feeling swept over him. Those
nearest never forgot that look. It was Christlike in its yearning love
for lost children. His lips moved in prayer.

And just then the outer circle of the crowd seemed agitated. It had
surged up nearer the light with the evident intention of hanging the
mill-owner on one of the cross pieces of a telegraph pole near by. The
rope had again been thrown over his head. Philip stood with one arm
about Mr. Winter, and with the other hand stretched out in entreaty,
when he heard a pistol-shot, then another. The entire police department
had been summoned, and had finally arrived. There was a skirmishing
rattle of shots. But the crowd began to scatter in the neighborhood of
the police force. Then those nearer Philip began to run as best they
could away from the officers. Philip and the mill-owner were dragged
along with the rest in the growing confusion, until, watching his
opportunity, Philip pulled Mr. Winter behind one of the large poles by
which the lights of the street were suspended.

Here, sheltered a little, but struck by many a blow, Philip managed to
shield with his own body the man who only a little while before had come
into his own house and called him a liar, and threatened to withdraw his
church support, because of the preaching of Christ