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14 .
from me. From to-nrorrow on I'll give you
two meals a day. But you earn the rest
of your money, for good times, and clothes,
and after one month here you don't set
your meals and lodging unless you pay for
The young fellow was almost overcome
with this fearful edict. His world was cast
out from under his feet at one fell act of
this unnatural parent.
“But my clubs, and the fellows!‘ he oh-
jected.
‘Just see how much they’ii do for you
when you're broke.‘ exclaimed the old man.
‘I got my humps, Bert. and yon‘ve got a. lot
coming to you. Every young fellow has
to have them-they're just the same as the
measles. The sooner through with, the
better off."
’ The older man now whirled abouh ignor-
ing his son.
,‘ “Won’t you step inside, sir?" he asked
Ben genially. “I am sorry that You were
'’ insulted thus grossly on entering my house.
Otherwise I would never have forced this
unfortunate scene on you. ‘
scheduled just as certain as sunrise for
some time or other. So I‘m glad it came."
He waved Ben into the drawing-room.
“My daughter will be down
-oh, here she is now.
young folks will enjoy your getting ac-
quainted.” -
He turned about to his son, standing
with fear-stricken face, gazing down at his
to when I
was lots younger than you were.
CHAPTER XVIII.
ru:'rL'nNrivo coon roe EVIL. ‘
The reader need not be told how Ben
, did enjoy that call. ‘ . ,
- The sweet girl looked her prettiest, and
Ben was in the seventh heaven of bliss.
“ c all about your fire life?" she
pleaded, and although Ben was modest, yet
finally, with her winsome sympathy. she
persuaded him to tell about .the thrilling
work of the helmet lads..
He told of the swift, dangerous races to
the flames, of the nght against the red-
tongued demons in great conflagratlorns.
sIIe told about the dangers of lighting the
names in the winter time. when the dan-
gers of the burning would scorch on one
side, while the water would freeze into
treacherous death traps, and block their
nghting on the outside. ,
Ben did not know that he was a gifted
story teller.
est, so familiar with every phase of his
at the revelation of this dangerous, daring
and heroic prbfession.
‘Oh. but it is terrible,” she exclaimed.
, “I never heard of such trials and dangers
Allow can you stand it’! Don't you-give
out sometimes?"
‘No. but we want to give out, and down,”
answered Ben. "Just thin
every night, with your mind always on
that jiggerv or night gong.
sound makes us all leap to our feet, jump-
ing into our
“ does?"
“Yes; the turning of a horse in his stall,
the rumble of a passing milk wagon wakes
. us up, and every waking minute is just as
much of a strain. You know it is pretty
worrying to have to think of getting out
of the building not later than six seconds
after the gong sounds for an alarm in our.
dlstrict.” -
‘How do you work it?’ she asked.
‘Ho ? Just because we have to.
lliany's the time I've seen the men on their
tnicks or engines, with their faces half
shaved, caught in the act, and w
lather down one side of their chins still.
We can never tell whether calls are real or
just practice ones in Lima us on, and credit
against us. So every call is a. snapping
of the nerves!”
“How long can the ilremen stand it?”
she asked.
“Well, by the time a dreman is in the ser-
vice twenty years he is given a pension at
alf pay. But most of the fellows have
never saved a cent of their good salaries.
and they have nothing to do but keep right
at it. plugging, away at their work, until
they die at their posts-with their boots
on."
. I al-
ways imagined that they stayed around the
houses most of the time. reading and talk-
ing, and just enjoying a life of luxury.’
“Huh!” exclaimed Ben. “we work for
people who misunderstand us. The poll-
ticians hate us, and the city uses us just as
long as we are good blankets for the.dames
- hen we go. It's a job of giving up our
lives for little thanks.
“ et what?" asked Kathleen sofly.
et--"
HAPPY ,DAYS.
ing in when I know the chances are against
me, and conquering chance."
‘Yes, yes."
“I love that knowledge that I am not
afraid of death when it comes right down
to the pinch, and that knowledge that no
matter how terrific an element the flames
are-no matter how hungry the big red
dragon gets-I can fight him off yet, with
the hose, or with my own strong arms."
Ben's eyes dashed, and the girl saw the
fighting quality show through them. show-
ing what it was which carried him and his
brave comrades Lhrough so many terridc
dangers. - -
“But-gracious, how I rant on," said Ben.
almost ashamed of his sudden burst of
feeling. must be getting along, for I
know it‘s mighty late.’ -
e rose, despite her protests, and started
toward the hallway for his hat.
.'As he turned toward the rack he heard 2
scuifling noise, and 9. muffled cry.
on Brown,whirled about. and stared
with startled eyes out toward the vesti-
ule. Through the glass he could see a
number of struggling figures.
“Oh!” cried the girl inralarm.
can be the matter?"
wung open the doorway, rushing
out barehanded to join in the trouble, and
find its meaning.
The figures stopped for an instant in
their mad melee. Then he recognized the
face of Bert Read. the brother of the girl-
he who had so grossly insulted Ben on his
arrival.
“They're robbing me!‘ gasped this fei-
low, and just then the men attacked him
again with great ferocity. One clutched
his throat and another brought swift blows
dowrj upon his head. A third went through
his pockets with swift skill.
“Help!” screamed the girl, and the fourth
man sprang toward her. Butlhe never
reached his destination, for Ben row'n
planted one of his choicest brands of left,
short-arm hooks between the fellow's eyes.
Crack! He sank back upon the others.
“Beat it, Bo!" cried one of the men
he with his hands full of valuables from
the victim's pockets.
“Cheese it!" cried another. and they ran.
The men turned and down the steps they
rushed. The one Ben had hit so we
quiet and still, and was later nabbed by Mr.
Reed as be rushed downstairs at the com-
“What
'4
But Ben Brown as an omcer of the city
government was not going to see these
scamps escape so successfully with their
loot after such a daring robbery. -
“Police!” he shouted. "Police!"
And at the same time be started down
the steps after them with all the speed he
could muster to his old. And as the reader
may guess, Ben's wind was unusually good,
from his arudous profession. His legs were
as hard as iron, and the gallant youth, dart-
ing off along the pavement. made good
speed.
So good was his speed that the last of the
runners was rapidly overtaken.
“Turn and in him, l3inkle!" cried the
man with the loot.
.The third fellow whirled about, and Ben
Brown saw that the man was waving a vii-
lainous piece of iron pipe pn a rope, which
ad evidently been concealed somewhere
about his ragged garments for just such
an emergency. ,
ut Ben was used to emergencies.
Not waiting for the action of this des-
perate fellow, Ben sprang aside and dodged
past just as thesfellow struck at him with
the swinging pipe.
lan ' '
‘The rude weapon struck the pavement,
and re-echoed as Ben left the man giving
vent to his feelings in language more col-
ored than elegant. g
But the fellow did not have time to swear
and the fellow was fast in the nippers after
a brief and vain struggle.
Ben followed the others hotly. Down the
street they went, and looked as if he
would head them off before they reached
the avenue, which crossed this particular
i' . 1
“There are lights and stores there," said
Ben to himself, ‘and I know the crowd wil
elp me." v
But his work was not so easy. For just
then the men turned sharply to the left.
and disappeared as if by magic.
Ben Brown rushed up to the place where
he had last seen them. At nrst he was
dumfounded; ,
“Where can they be?" he muttered. in
perplexity.
Then he looked sharply, and beheld an
open cellar window. Th explained the
disapearance of the men. Ben should have
waited for assistance, but none seemed
near. He looked about him.
rther down the block he saw two
struggling figures, and knew that some pur-
suer had nabbed the other miscreant. The
part of the street in which he stood was
unusually ar . ‘
Clang! Ben heard. from the dark depths
of the window, the sound of a swinging
metal door. -
T are escaping!" be exclaimed.
"Well. I won’t let them if I can help it.”
2';
yet. I love it!" exclaimed .13 n.
feeling nl daring danger-of rush-
r
-4
“And
love the
Then the brave lad. with a il10ughlless-
ness which was to cost him dearly, sprang
into the cellar window, in pursuit of those
two precious rascals’. ‘
- =
CHAPTER XIX. ’ ‘
K neon-r GRIP is run max.
Ben Brown had foolishly leaped into the
mysterious dark cellar way after the fleet-
ing footpads. He had heard the clang of
an iron doorway inside the place.
"They are getting out the rear way,"
thought Ben, but he was woefully mistak-
en.
.The men had leaped into the convenient
cellar window with no other thought than
to dodge their gallant pursuer. They knew
that they would be caught by the police
and pedestrians on the busy avenue if they
kept straight onward. . .
So they had taken this little double on
their trail.
But they were crafty fellows, and they
knew that Ben Brown would miss them.
and probably try to follow. They had not
hoped for such an easy matter, however. as
his leaping into the dark cellar so quickly:
One desperado had slammed the iron
door inside tightly shut, so that the light
from a flickering gas jet in the rear would
not shine into the front part of the cellar.
Thus it was that Ben had leaped into the
wolves’ den, and the men down there took
quick advantage of their opportunity.
Biff! Some heavy instrument came down
with telling, noiseless force upon the shoul-
der of the gallant fireman. He had moved
his head by accident, and this little act
saved his life, for a blow from the vil-
lain would have ended his career just then.
“Take dat!” cried the man, but Ben’re-
fused to take it. Instead, as he felt the
-unpleasant and painful thud on his shoul-
der. he knew that his only hope lay insa
desperate hand-to-han ‘ v
Ben’s heart quailed not.
The gallant fire laddie grappled out in the
dark, and caught hold of the man nearest
HID '
“I'll take you!" muttered Ben, and with
his left hand he managed to catch hold of
man's hair was to
be the start of the worst drubbing the man
ad received in‘ many a. fine day. V '
Biff! With all his strength Benswung
his free left on the man's face. tugging
away at, the hair with the other hand. The
combination was a hard one to beat.
“Wow!” screeched the fellow, as Ben
rained blow after blow upon his rough, un-
shaven face in the dark.-
The other man leaped at Ben. but he was
unfortunate to land on the wrong fellow in
the dark. He struck his own man, and be
gun a lusty punching with all his might.
thinking that it was the pursuer.
en, nowise averse, landed again and
again on the fellow, until at last, with a
groan, the fellow collapsed.
During all this time Ben had not be-
trayed himself by a word. In the excite-
ment the other man had not discovered his
mistake, by the rough ‘feel of the fellows
clothes, and even the terridc yells of pain
were almost indistinguishable.
But. Ben pounded away, and suddenly the
cries stoppe
Ben felt up with his hands, and discov-
ered that the desperate fellow had taken a
strangle hold on his mate, thinking that it
was the ot er. ‘
“Well, there's nothing like having them
catch themselves," thought Ben, as he re-
leased his hold. ‘
‘He heard a thud as the man’s limp, un-
conscious body struck the hard door in its
fall, The other fellow laughed a coarse,
vicious laugh, and then Ben heard him
start toward the window.
“Come on, matey!" cried this villain.
“We've iixed de fresh guy!”
Ben f llowed him without a word, and
the fellow reached the wall below the open
window. He stopped and reached for the
opening, but it was too high for him to get
a good,hold, and he stopped, breathing
heavily, while Ben waited his chance.
“Say, matey, dis is a. rum-dum joint.
Here. you hold de swag w'ile I gets the
lunch grabbers on do winder; den I’li give
yer a lift from outside. Give us a. boost." -
The fellow put out his hands, and Ben
elt for the watch and purse which they
contained. He took them without a. word,
and slipped them into his breast
hen, instead of giving the fellow a
boost, he caught him by the arms from be-‘
in ,
“Hey. wot’s do matter will yer, matey?‘
cried the other in alarm. But Ben Brown.
silent as the grave, bore the fellow down
to the hard floor. and pinioned him there
with his hands behind him.
“Police! 9! Police!’ shouted Ben
Brown, at last. '
There was a scurrying of ii ures, and in
a twinkling several bluecoat had flashed
through the window. for the oihcer farther
back had sent-in the distress call with his
night stick. ‘ V
A light was struck, and there, before the
ht
bluecoats, was an astonishing si
“Ilo
police sergeant. ,
you do this, lad?" asked the
“As sure as I'm alive you
have landed both of them.” ‘ ’
on the door. still unconscious of his"
plight. lay one of the ragged fellows, while
Ben Brown, by main force, was holding ,
down the other thug, on the hard, cement- I
ed iioor. ' =
The fellow struggled vainly against the
young fireman grip. But n was not to
be shaken off and the policemen took a
hand.
The nippers had closed about the
man's wrist, and the unconscious one was
looked about him, half dazedat the flare of ‘
light. A ring ‘of admiring faces surroundedl
him as the policemen looked at this captor,’
of the desperate fellows. V ;
“ ‘ you catch them fellows single- ;
handed here in the dark?” cried one patrol-
IDBIL
‘-‘Well. it wasn't that way-I had help,"
said Ben, laughing at the idea.>
“What 0 you mean?" asked the omcer.
.“Well. this fellow here helped me beat
up the other fellow, in the dark-he .
thought it was yours truly! , Ho, ho! But V
that was a. joke!”
Everyone laughed except the trapped
highwayman.
His unconscious mate now began to show
signs of returning consciousness, and sat
up weakl with a swelling, bruised face.:
His Dunishment had been terrible. -
“Well, that's the funniest thing I ever’
heard," kid the sergeant But the two
entrapped thugs began a tirade of profan-
ity which eclipsed anything that Ben had
even listened to in his whole life time.
“Here, cut that out!” cried one police-
man, as he swung a night stick at the fore- ;
most man. '
“Oh, let ‘em have a good time while they
can.” said the sergeant, with an amuse
smile on his weatherbeaten face. ‘They’ll
get about dfteen years for this job, so you'd
better let them have a good time while
they can.” ‘ .
The omcers laughed. and then started out
through the cellar way, and up the stairs
of the building.
The omcers flied out of the building with
their prisoners, and started up the street.‘
“I want to go up and get the particulars
from that young man up there where the
for to-morrow. Wehave all four of the
fellows now.” . ' V ‘
Along they went to the house of Mr. %
Reed. and as they went up the steps they-
saw anxious faces in the hallway. > -
“Where is the young man who was as-
saulted by these highwaymen?" asked the
sergeant. I . '
Young Bert Reed, nervous as a'girl, came
forward.
“They jumped on me, and took my watch
and wallet!” 5
Ben Brown. , are you‘butting in
here again! Olhcers, throw that fellow out.
He's forcing his way into this house. I
ave a suspicion that he is in cohoots
with these fellows!" ,
Ben's face ‘went pale with this terrible
son, but the officer waved for silence.
“I don't know who you are, young man,"
he exclaimed, looking at Reed with a glance A
which made that youth wither. “But It
know-what you are. This young man here 1
whom you have insulted did one of the
most "daring acts I've ever seen in New
1
The fellow fumbled nervously, seeing
that he had messed his own cause, and sus-
pecting that again he was to be shamed by
his own action. ‘
“This young man not only knocked aside
your assailant here in the hallway. but he
followed the other three, and caught two
while this patrolman got the
The sergeant nodded approvingly at Ben
Brown, who blushed like an embarrassed
r. ' >
is young man followed these two
times into 9. pitch-dark cellar, where they
were laying in wait for him, and defeated
and captured both of them single-handed.
So you insult him for it. you cowardly
puppy!
Kathleen Reed had been gazing at Ben
Brown with more than friendly warmth in
her dark eyes
“ . you are so brave and noble." she
said. as she impulsively put her soft little
hand on his arm.
Her father reached forward to grasp
Ben's hand, while the mother, ordinarily a
cold, distant woman, stretched forth her
own hand to the gallant fellow. .'
But Bert Reed, trapped in his own trap,
turned about silently and churlishly. He
was not game enough to admit he was in
the wrong. . '
1: saw his action with darkling ,eyes.
He reached inside his breast pocket, and
pulled forth something, ‘
“Here, you've forgotten to ask for some-
thing that belonged to you," said Ben, as
he reached forward.
Reed turned around, scowling, and beheld
the watch and pocketbook which Ben
BFOWD bad Saved for him at such daring
sk.
You!” he muttered, and then left
the hallway for his own quarters u-"stairs. 4.
.- 3,‘ -.--Y7-"““"'“"
V
‘.3
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i
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"-;v&- ’
