which, except the last, was true of the Pedlar.

There was this peculiarity about the Pedlar. In spite of his broad grins
and his wise, bright eyes, none, even of Lord Nick's gang, extended a
friendship or familiarity toward him. When they spoke of the Pedlar they
never used his name. They referred to him as "him" or they indicated him
with gestures. If he had a fondness for any living creature it was for
fat Joe Rix.

Yet on seeing this ominous pair, Nelly Lebrun cried out softly in
delight. She ran to them, and dropped a hand on the bony shoulder of the
Pedlar and one on the plump shoulder of Joe Rix, whose loose flesh
rolled under her finger tips.

"It's Jack Landis!" she cried. "He's gone to Milligan's to fight the
new man. Stop him!"

"Donnegan?" said Joe, and did not rise.

"Him?" said the Pedlar, and moistened his broad lips like one on the
verge of starvation.

"Are you going to sit here?" she cried. "What will Lord Nick say if he
finds out you've let Jack get into a fight?"

"We ain't nursin' mothers," declared the Pedlar. "But I'd kind of like
to look on!"

And he rose. Unkinking joint after joint, straightening his legs, his
back, his shoulders, his neck, he soared up and up until he stood a
prodigious height. The girl controlled a shudder of disgust.

"Joe!" she appealed.

"You want us to clean up Donnegan?" he asked, rising, but without
interest in his voice.

To his surprise, she slipped back to the door and blocked it with her
outcast arms.

"Not a hair of his head!" she said fiercely. "Swear that you won't harm
him, boys!"

"What the devil!" ejaculated Joe, who was a blunt man in spite of his
fat. "You want us to keep Jack from fightin', but you don't want us to
hurt the other gent. What you want? Hogtie 'em both?"

"Yes, yes; keep Jack out of Milligan's; but for heaven's sake don't try
to put a hand on Donnegan."

"Why not?"

"For your sakes; he'd kill you, Joe!"

At this they both gaped in unison, and as one man they drawled in vast
admiration: "Good heavens!"

"But go, go, go!" cried the girl.

And she shoved them through the door and into the night.

22

To the people in Milligan's it had been most incredible that Jack Landis
should withdraw from a competition of any sort. And though the girls
were able to understand his motives in taking Nelly Lebrun away they
were not able to explain this fully to their men companions. For one and
all they admitted that Jack w