CHAPTER XV
A MOMENT OF VIOLENCE
Sidney Prale turned around and walked back along the street to the Park,Murk once more following at a short distance, as he had been ordered todo.
Because he wanted to think of his predicament, Prale crossed into thePark and began following one of the paths toward the south, making hisway along it slowly, paying little attention to the persons he passednow and then.
He crossed a drive and followed another path; and now he came to asecluded spot where the path was hidden from passers-by on the otherwalks and drives. Here the way ran through a tiny gulch, the sides ofwhich were banked with bushes. Squirrels scampered and birds chatteredat him, but Prale saw none of them.
He was trying to explain to himself why Kate Gilbert had warned him toleave New York, why she had interested herself in his affairs at all,asking himself for the thousandth time what species of net it was inwhich he suddenly had found himself enmeshed without knowing the reasonfor it.
He had demanded information and it had not been given him. She had saidnothing at all that gave him an inkling as to the nature of what seemedto be a plot against him. He had been as firm as he dared, he toldhimself. A man could not threaten a woman, could not use violence in anattempt to make her speak and reveal secrets.
"We'll have to work from another corner," Sidney Prale told himself. "Ican't threaten a woman, but I can pummel a man; and if I meet GeorgeLerton again, I am liable to forget what Jim Farland told me and use myown methods."
He walked on through the tiny ravine. He came to a cross path, and a manlurched down it and against him.
"Beg pardon!" Prale murmured.
"Wonder you wouldn't look where you're going!" the other exclaimed. "Gotan idea you own the whole Park, or something like that? Men like youshouldn't be running around loose!"
"You ran into me, not I into you," Prale reminded him.
As he spoke, he looked at the other closely. He saw a gigantic man whohad the general appearance of a thug, whose chin was thrust forwardaggressively, and whose hands were opening and closing as if he wishedthey were around Sidney Prale's throat.
"I've a notion to smash you one!" the fellow said, advancing towardPrale a bit.
Prale's temper flamed at once. His own chin was shot forward, and hisown hands closed.
"If that is the way you feel about it, start in!" Prale said. "Perhaps Ican teach you to act decently and keep a civil tongue in your head!"
The man before him made no comment--he simply launched himself forwardlike a thunderbolt. Sidney Prale darted quickly to one side, and tossedhis hat and stick on the ground. He did not have time to get off hiscoat; he could not even remove his gloves.
The other, missing him in that first rush, turned and came back,swinging his fists. Prale did not dart aside now. He put himself onguard, braced himself against the side of the little gulch, and waitedfor the attack.
They clashed, and Prale knew that he had a real fight on his hands, forthe man who had attacked him was no mean antagonist. But, after thefirst real clash, Prale had no fear of the outcome. The man was brutal,but he had no skill. He delivered blows that would have felled anyone--but they did not reach their objective.
Then a second man crashed down through the brush and joined in theattack. Sidney Prale realized in that moment that the attack had beenpremeditated and the fight forced upon him purposely. It fed fuel to theflames of his wrath. He did not know whether this was the work of someof his unknown enemies or whether these thugs were mere robbers intentupon getting his wallet and watch. It made little difference to himwhich they were.
With his back against the side of the gulch, he fought with what skillhe could, trying to stand off both of them. The attack had come with arush, and all this had occupied but a few seconds.
Presently a human whirlwind appeared and took part in the battle. Therewas an angry roar from a human throat, a raucous curse, a rushing body,the thuds of swift, hard blows. Mr. Murk had reached the scene!
The battle immediately became two-fold. Murk fought as these thugsfought, disregarding the finer rules of combat, seeking only to put hisopponent out, no matter by what means. Murk was not unaccustomed tofighting of that character, and he was doubly formidable now, for he wasangry at the attack on Sidney Prale. Murk had been too far away to hearwhat had been said when the trouble started, but he had seen, and heguessed immediately that some of Sidney Prale's enemies were engaged inthe attempt.
Murk went after his opponent with determination if not with skill. Hefought him down the path, and there the fellow rallied from the surpriseand rushed back. But Murk was not the sort to give ground. In a fight, aman should stand up to another until one of them was whipped, Murkthought.
He knew how to give blows, but not how to guard against them. He wasmarked, and marked well, before the battle was a minute old, but he hadthe satisfaction of seeing blood on the face of his antagonist. Foot tofoot they stood and hammered each other, and gradually Murk beganwearing the other man down.
As for Sidney Prale, now that he had but the one thug against him, hefought with skill and cunning, knowing that the other was a bit thestronger, but realizing that he would be victor if he used reasonablecare.
His flare of anger had passed, and now he was fighting like a cleverpugilist. He warded off the other's powerful blows, and now and then heslipped beneath a guard, or smashed his way through one, and sent home ablow of his own.
At the end of three minutes, the thugs were getting much the worst ofit. Gradually they were being fought back toward the nearest driveway.Back and back they went, but did not turn and run. Sidney Prale sensedthat they were fighting for money, that they were being paid for thisattack, and he realized that, but for the presence of Murk, he wouldhave had no chance whatever, and probably would be a senseless, bleedingthing now.
None of them knew that the fight had attracted attention, but it had.Two women, coming around a curve in the path, had seen it, and had runback toward the nearest driveway, screeching. Two mounted policemenhurried toward them, heard the story, and charged down the path.
The two thugs made no effort to escape. They stopped fighting, and Praleand Murk ceased also, though the latter was eager to continue until adecision had been rendered. Murk had fought often where there was nointerference and he disliked to be bothered now, but he desisted atPrale's command.
"Well, what's all this about?" one of the officers demanded. He did notaddress any of them particularly. "I was walking along the path, andthese men attacked me," Sidney Prale said. "My valet was a shortdistance behind and he came to my assistance. I never saw these fellowsbefore."
"Nothin' like it!" one of the thugs snarled. "Me and my pal were walkin'along this path and met these men, and the one with the stick ordered usout of the way as if we were dogs. When we didn't move quick enough,they jumped into us."
"That's a lie----" Murk began.
"You can settle this at the station," the officer replied. "All of youcome along with us!"
Prale picked up his hat and stick, took off his torn gloves and threwthem away, and motioned for Murk to walk at his side and to keep quiet.They went to the driveway and along it, the policemen watching the fourof them closely, the thugs growling to each other and remarking that itwas a fine day when honest workingmen could not stroll in Central Parkwithout a dude and his valet trying to beat them up.
There was a short wait when the station was reached, and then, at thelieutenant's command, one of the thugs poured forth his story. He gavehis name and address, as did the other, and both made the statement thatthey were out of work at present.
Prale stepped forward and gave his name. The lieutenant stared at him insurprise.
"Why, it's the guy who croaked that man Shepley!" one of the thugscried. "There ought to be a way of stoppin' him runnin' around andassaultin' and killin' folks. If it hadn't been for the cops----"
"Shut up!" Sidney Prale commanded loudly, ignoring the presence of theofficers. "You
fellows made a deliberate attack on me and you know it.And I want to know who paid you to do it--understand?"
"You're crazy!" said one of the thugs.
Prale turned to the lieutenant. "I'd like to have Jim Farland sent for,"he said. "He has been handling things for me. I want him to investigatethese men. I have an idea that the names and addresses they gave arefictitious. Recently enemies of mine have caused me considerabletrouble, and I feel sure that these men were hired to attack me.Fortunately, my valet was walking a short distance behind me, and rushedup and helped me hold them off."
"I'm ready to put up bail, and so is my pal!" said one of the thugsangrily.
"In that case, I'll have to let you go for the present," the lieutenantsaid. "The charge is fighting and disorderly conduct, and bail will beone hundred dollars in each case. You may use the telephone if you wish,Mr. Prale."
Prale hurried to the telephone, called Jim Farland's office, and wasinformed that Farland had not been there, and that the girl in chargedid not know where he was, or what he was doing, or when he wouldreturn. Prale left instructions for Farland and went back to the desk.
"This is a serious business, though it may not look like it on theface," he said. "I'd like to have these men held until we can make surethey have given correct names and addresses."
"No use holding them if they have given bail," the lieutenant replied."I think it's nothing but a regular scrap. You can talk to the judgelater, all of you."
Prale took a roll of bills from his pocket and put up cash bail for bothMurk and himself. One of the thugs followed suit and pulling out a rollof bills, stripped off two hundred dollars, and arranged for the releaseof himself and his partner.
"You seem to have a lot of money for men who are out of work," Pralesaid.
"Been savin' it, and it's none of your business anyway," growled theother.
They started toward the door, and Prale and Murk followed them, watchedthem until they started away, and then turned back to bathe their facesand hands. Then Prale got a taxicab, and drove to the office of aphysician, who did his best to make the countenances of Prale and Murkpresentable.
It was an hour later when Jim Farland called Prale by telephone at thehotel.
"I've investigated that little matter, Sid," he reported. "Those fellowsgave fictitious addresses, as you supposed they had done, and it is aneven bet that the names they gave were fictitious, too. No doubt aboutit, Sid--they were hired to get you. You'd better be on guard and a bitcareful."
The Brand of Silence Page 15