as Arthur arrived at the spot, he saw a surging mass of men about it.
The keeper of the stand looked frightened, but was selling off his
stock as fast as he could make change. Arthur forced his way to
the counter.

"Here," he said sharply to the keeper of the stand, "stop selling
this stuff. It's got to be held until we can dole it out where
it's needed."

"I--I can't help myself," the keeper said. "They're takin'
it anyway."

"Get back there," Arthur cried to the crowd. "Do you call this
decent, trying to get more than your share of this stuff? You'll get
your portion to-morrow. It is going to be divided up."

"Go to hell!" some one panted. "You c'n starve if you want to,
but I'm goin' to look out f'r myself."

The men were not really starving, but had been put into a panic by
the plain speeches of Arthur and his helpers, and were seizing what
edibles they could lay hands upon in preparation for the hunger
they had been warned to expect.

Arthur pushed against the mob, trying to thrust them away from the
counter, but his very effort intensified their panic. There was a
quick surge and a crash. The glass front of the showcase broke in.

In a flash of rage Arthur struck out viciously. The crowd paid
not the slightest attention to him, however. Every man was too