in the protecting shadows of the
freight-shed or what's left of it, and they beckon me to come near 'em,
and when I responds, they tell me I'm under arrest for inciting riots
and disturbances and desecration of property and various other crimes
and misdemeanours. I suggests to 'em that if they're really craving to
arrest anybody, they should oughter begin with Emily, but they don't
fall in with the idea. They marches me up to the police-station, looking
over their shoulders at frequent intervals to be sure the anguished
Emily ain't coming too, and when we get there, I find Windy in the act
of being forcibly detained in the front office.

"Immediately after I arrived, the payoff started and continued unabated
for quite a period of time. First we settled in full with the late
proprietors of them defunct peanut-roasting machines; and then the owner
of the wrecked fruitstore, and the man that owned the opera-house, and
the stout lady who'd fainted from the waist up but was now entirely
recovered, and the fleshy gent who'd climbed the telegraph-pole, and the
railroad agent and some several hundred others who had claims for
property damage or mental anguish or shockages to their nervous systems
or shortage of breath or loss of trade or other injuries--all these were
in line, waiting.

"We was reduced to a case ten-spot before the depot agent, who came
last, lined up for his'n; but he took one good look and said he wouldn't
be a hog about it--we could keep that ten-specker, and he'd be satisfied
just to take over our private car in consideration of the loss inflicted
by Emily to his freight-shed. I was trying to tell him how much we
appreciated his kindness, but the chief of police wouldn't let me
finish--said he couldn't permit that kind of language to be used in a
police-station, said it might corrupt the morals of some of his young
policemen.

"So everything passed off very pleasant and satisfactory at the
police-station, but Emily spent the evening and the ensuing night right
where she was, voicing her regrets at frequent intervals. Along toward
morning she felt easier, although sadly depleted in general appearance,
and about daylight her and Windy bid me good-by and went off
acrosst-country afoot, aiming to catch up with Ringbold Brothers'
circus, which was reported to be operating somewhere in that vicinity.
As for me, I'd had enough for the time being of the refined amusement
business. I took my half of that lone saw