lethargy of her misery the girl swung around to meet the

man's eyes squarely upon her. Instantly she recognized him as

the brute who had killed Billy Mallory. If there had been hate

in the mucker's eyes as he looked at the girl, it was as nothing

by comparison with the loathing and disgust which sprang to

hers as they rested upon his sullen face.

So deep was her feeling of contempt for this man, that the

sudden appearance of him before her startled a single exclamation

from her.

"Coward!" came the one word, involuntarily, from her lips.

The man's scowl deepened menacingly. He took a threatening

step toward her.

"Wot's dat?" he growled. "Don't get gay wit me, or I'll

black dem lamps fer yeh," and he raised a heavy fist as

though to strike her.

The mucker had looked to see the girl cower before his

threatened blow--that would have been ample atonement for

her insult, and would have appealed greatly to his Kelly-gang

sense of humor. Many a time had he threatened women thus,

for the keen enjoyment of hearing their screams of fright and

seeing them turn and flee in terror. When they had held their

ground and opposed him, as some upon the West Side had

felt sufficiently muscular to do, the mucker had not hesitated

to "hand them one." Thus only might a man uphold his

reputation for bravery in the vicinage of Grand Avenue.

He had looked to see this girl of the effete and effeminate

upper class swoon with terror before him; but to his intense

astonishment she but stood erect and brave before him, her

head high held, her eyes cold and level and unafraid. And

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