d
and thwarted turned to fiends. The sun was not an hour high when the
emissaries of the Railway Union were haranguing the people all along
these outlying districts. The striking railway-men themselves were
redoubling their pleadings with the men who had stood firm, and from
pleadings turned to threats. By eight o'clock the flames were shooting
high from scores of cars, and under the fierce heat rails were warping
and twisting. At half a dozen points the city firemen, gallant fellows,
everybody's friends and defenders, loyal to their duty, had dashed up
with their hose, only to be furiously assaulted and beaten back. And
still the police looked on and laughed. "Like a thief in the night,"
screamed Elmendorf to his audience of strikers and rioters, "the P.Q. &
R. has stolen its trains,--sneaked out its fell purpose. In the hours of
rest and slumber, when honest men, brave men, worthy men, seek their
pillows and the sanctity of their homes, these despoilers of the poor,
these tyrants of a confiding people, conspiring together and corrupting
with infamous gold the brethren who have betrayed us, reckless of their
pledges, false to their promises--when were they ever else?--have
succeeded in running two or three trains through the blockade. Now it
remains with you to say how long, how great shall be their triumph.
Summon from far and near your manhood and your strength. Call to action
every man with a man's heart and a man's arm. See to it that none but
stalwarts go on guard to-night or from this time forth, and be ready to
act when the sun climbs high. Be ready, I say, for noon shall bring you
tidings to make each heart bound in its seat. Be ready, a million strong
if need be, to force your ultimatum down these managerial throats."

Mad with excitement and nervous strain seemed Elmendorf. From point to
point his cab was dashing. He had slept but such catnaps as he could
catch when whirling from one part of the city to another. It was he who
rushed in to announce to the strike-leaders the astounding fact that,
despite his efforts, the P. Q. & R. had pushed out the Silver Special,
and was chagrined to find they knew all about it. It galled him through
the night to realize that, every time he drove with tidings to anybody
else, somebody was sure to be previously informed. He had left Allison's
home to hasten to a point three miles distant to rouse the strikers with
warnings of the proposed sending out of the train, only to find