rner and down upon a man descending from a street car. The
chauffeur honked wildly and rammed the brakes home. Simultaneously James
leaped, flinging his weight upon the man standing dazed in the path of
the automobile. The two went down together, and for a moment Farnum knew
only a crash of the senses.

He was helped to his feet. Voices, distant and detached, asked whether
he was hurt. Blood trickled into his eyes from a cut in the head. It
came to him oddly enough that his story about the motor car accident
would now be true.

A slender figure in gray slipped swiftly past him and knelt beside the
still shape lying on the asphalt.

"Bring water, Roberts!"

James knew that clear, sweet voice. It could belong only to Alice Frome.

"Are you much hurt, Mr. Farnum?"

"No, I think not--a cut over my eye and a few bruises."

"I'm so glad. But this poor old man--I'm afraid he's badly hurt."

"Was he run over?"

"No. You saved him from that. You don't know him, do you?"

The lawyer looked at the unconscious man and could not repress a start.
It was his father. For just an eyebeat he hesitated before he said,
"I've seen him before somewhere."

"We must take him to the hospital. Isn't there a doctor here? Someone
run for a doctor." The young woman's glance swept the crowd in appeal.

"I'll take care of him. Better get away before the crowd is too large,
Miss Frome."

"No. It was our machine did it. Oh, here's a doctor."

A pair of lean, muscular shoulders pushed through the press after the
doctor. "Much hurt, James?" inquired their owner.

"No. For heaven's sake, get Miss Frome away, Jeff," implored his cousin.

"Miss Frome!" Jeff stepped forward with an exclamation.

The young woman looked up. She was kneeling in the street and supporting
the head of the wounded man. Her face was almost as bloodless as his.

"We almost ran him down. Your cousin jumped to save him. He isn't dead,
doctor, is he?"

Jeff turned swiftly to his cousin and spoke in a low voice. "It's your
father."

The lawyer pushed forward with a manner of authority.

"This won't do, doctor. The crowd's growing and we're delaying the
traffic. Let us lift him into the machine and take him to the hospital."

"Very good, Mr. Farnum."

"Doctor, will you go with him to the hospital? And Jeff... you, too, if
you please."

A minute later the car pushed its way slowly through the crush of people
and disappeared. James was left standing on the curb