nd Mr. St. Clair alone possessed.
Between his interests and his conscience the conflict raged.

"I wish I knew what I ought to do," he groaned, all the time battling
against the conviction that the information he possessed should by
rights be given to Colonel Thorp. Finally, in despair of coming to
a decision, he seized his hat, saying, "I will go and see Kate," and
slipping out of a side door, he set off for the Raymond home. "I will
just look up Coley on the way," he said to himself, and diving down an
alley, he entered a low saloon with a billiard hall attached. There, as
he had expected, acting as marker, he found Coley.

Mike Cole, or Coley, as his devoted followers called him, was king of
St. Joseph's ward. Everywhere in the ward his word ran as law. About
two years ago Coley had deigned to favor the Institute with a visit, his
gang following him. They were welcomed with demonstrations of joy, and
regaled with cakes and tea, all of which Coley accepted with lordly
condescension. After consideration, Coley decided that the night classes
might afford a not unpleasant alternative on cold nights, to alley-ways
and saloons, and he allowed the gang to join. Thenceforth the successful
conduct of the classes depended upon the ability of the superintendent
to anticipate Coley's varying moods and inclinations, for that young man
claimed and exercised the privilege of introducing features agreeable to
the gang, though not necessarily upon the regular curriculum of study.
Some time after Ranald's appearance in the Institute as an assistant, it
happened one night that a sudden illness of the superintendent laid upon
his shoulders the responsibility of government. The same night it
also happened that Coley saw fit to introduce the enlivening but quite
impromptu feature of a song and dance. To this Ranald objected, and was
invited to put the gang out if he was man enough. After the ladies
had withdrawn beyond the reach of missiles, Ranald adopted the unusual
tactics of preventing exit by locking the doors, and then immediately
became involved in a discussion with Coley and his followers. It cost
the Institute something for furniture and windows, but thenceforth in
Ranald's time there was peace. Coley ruled as before, but his sphere of
influence was limited, and the day arrived when it became the ambition
of Coley's life to bring the ward and its denizens into subjection to
his own over-lord, whom he was prepared to follow to the