The crowd began to feel the mysterious
power which discipline backed by law always exerts, and they ran at
full speed up the street to the corner and there dispersed. The
formation of the veterans was not even broken. They turned at Farnham's
order, faced to the rear, and advanced in double time upon the smaller
crowd which still lingered a little way beyond the gate.
In this last group there was but one man who stood his ground and
struck out for himself. It was a tall young fellow with fair hair and
beard, armed with a carpenter's hammer, with which he maintained so
formidable an attitude that, although two or three policemen were
opposed to him, they were wary about closing in upon him. Farnham,
seeing that this was all there was left of the fight, ordered the men
to fall back, and, approaching the recalcitrant, said sharply:
"Drop that hammer, and surrender! We are officers of the law, and if
you resist any longer you'll be hurt."
"I don't mind that. I was waiting for _you_," the man said, and made a
quick and savage rush and blow at Farnham. In all his campaigns, he had
never before had so much use for his careful broadsword training as
now.
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