ace.

"No; I will not listen." She struggled to her feet, flushed and panting,
but Wickersham rose too.

"I will kiss you, you little fool." He caught her, and clasping her with
both arms, kissed her twice violently; then, as she gave a little
scream, released her. "There!" he said. As he did so she straightened
herself and gave him a ringing box on his ear.

"There!" She faced him with blazing eyes.

Angry, and with his cheek stinging, Wickersham seized her again.

"You little devil!" he growled, and kissed her on her cheek again and
again.

As he let her go, she faced him. She was now perfectly calm.

"You are not a gentleman," she said in a low, level tone, tears of shame
standing in her eyes.

For answer he caught her again.

Then the unexpected happened. At that moment Keith turned a clump of
shrubbery a few paces off, that shut out the alley from the bench which
Wickersham had selected. For a second he paused, amazed. Then, as he
took in the situation, a black look came into his face.

The next second he had sprung to where Wickersham stood, and seizing him
by the collar, jerked him around and slapped him full in the face.

"You hound!" He caught him again, the light of fury in his eyes, the
primal love of fight that has burned there when men have fought for a
woman since the days of Adam, and with a fierce oath hurled him spinning
back across the walk, where he measured his length on the ground.

Then Keith turned to the girl:

"Come; I will see you home."

The noise had attracted the attention of others besides Gordon Keith.
Just at this juncture a stout policeman turned the curve at a
double-quick.

As he did so, Wickersham rose and slipped away.

"What th' devil 'rre ye doin'?" the officer demanded in a rich brogue
before he came to a halt. "I'll stop this racket. I'll run ye ivery wan
in. I've got ye now, me foine leddy; I've been waitin' for ye for some
time." He seized Lois by the arm roughly.

"Let her go. Take your hand off that lady, sir. Don't you dare to touch
her." Keith stepped up to him with his eyes flashing and hand raised.

"And you too. I'll tache you to turn this park into--"

"Take your hand off her, or I'll make you sorry for it."

"Oh, you will!" But at the tone of authority he released Lois.

"What is your name? Give me your number. I'll have you discharged for
insulting a lady," said Keith.

"Oh, me name's aall right. Me name's Mike Doherty--Sergeant Doherty. I