“Come on,” said the policeman, and the line of march to Sydney’s office was resumed, Scott valiantly falling into place beside Rex, vowing vengeance on the entire force of bluecoats.

“Don’t stay with me, Scott,” Rex implored him.  “You’ve borne enough.  I don’t want to drag you down into the mire too.”

“Do you suppose I’d desert a friend in a time of need like this?” returned Scott.  “I’m going to take this officer’s number now while I think of it.”

Scott fished a pencil out of one pocket and a railroad timetable out of the other, and glancing at the shield on the breast of the policeman made a record of the figures on it in a very conspicuous manner.  But the officer did not tremble with apprehension.  He simply turned to Rex and observed, “This is the place, isn’t it?”

They had reached the building in which Sydney had his office.

“Yes, this is the place,” replied Rex slowly.  He was thinking how dreadful it would be to present himself before Syd with this crowd at his heels.

“I don’t know whether he’s in or not,” he added.  “Will you mind going up and finding out, Scott?”

“Of course I won’t.  I know just where the room is and I’ll bring him down in a jiffy.”

The policeman motioned the crowd back and he and Rex and the patient Chinaman went into the marble corridor and waited, while the throng peered in at them from the doorway and a new one began to gather from among those who passed to and fro in the building.

“I’m glad I never knew this was going to happen to me,” reflected Rex.  “I’d never have known a happy day if I had.”

He had no fear of going to jail.  He felt that there was justice enough in the world to ward that off.

But the ignominy of his present position was torture enough to a proud spirit like his.

Ah, here was one of the elevators coming down, with Scott looking eagerly out at him.  And Syd was with him.

But was it Syd, this fellow with the pallid cheeks and deep circles under the eyes?  Yes, it certainly was his brother, for he stepped out ahead of Scott and came over at once to pass his arm about Rex in gesture of protection.

Reginald gave an almost unconscious sigh of relief.  Within that embrace he felt that he was safe.

“Now what is all this about?” said Sydney, in his business-like tone, addressing the officer.  “It seems you have arrested my brother here for breaking a Chinaman’s windows.  Did you see him throw the stone?”

“No, but a gentleman did,” replied the officer.

“Where’s that gentleman now?”

He was not to be found.  He had dropped out of the procession before it reached Chestnut Street.

“He was a bystander.  He is not here now,” answered the policeman.  “I didn’t think the boy did it myself, but he admits that he was running when the alarm was given.”

“That amounts to nothing.  Do you arrest everybody that runs in the street?  Explain why you were running, Rex.”