You, Wrightson," he spoke up to
a second in command, "take over this little lot and deliver them:
it's all clear ahead. Get back as fast as you can. . . . Now, sirs,
if you'll follow me--there's no danger--the half of 'em no more than
sightseers."
"Just a word, Sergeant," said I, catching up his stride. "I want to
know how this started and how far it has gone."
He glanced at me sideways. "Not on oath, sir, nor official, eh?
What isn't hearsay is opinion, if you understand. Far as I make it
out--but we was caught on the hop, more by ill luck than ill
management--it started with an open-air meetin' right yonder, at the
corner of the Park. Your friend--that is to say Mr. Farrell, if I
make no mistake-"
"Yes, he's Mr. Farrell all right. Go on."
"Well, he was billed to attend, sir; but he didn't turn up."
"He had another engagement," I put in.
"Well, and I did hear some word, too, to that effect," allowed the
Sergeant, with another professional glance, subdolent but correct.
"But, as reported to me, his absence was unfortunate. One or two of
the wrong sort got hold of the mob, and there was a rush for the
College gates.
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