peaceful and normal. Barnett, the butcher, was setting out his green goods in front of the store. Le Duc, the jeweler, had come to the door of his shop so that in the sunlight he could better squint through his magnifying glass at the machinery of a brokendown watch. He saw Speedy coming and waving cheerfully. Housewives, market baskets on their arms, were making their morning purchases. One or two were sweeping the sidewalk in front of their houses. They glanced apprehensively at Speedy. From various hints some had sensed that trouble was brewing and that their men folks would be involved. Small boys romped on their way to school.
For the first twenty minutes of Speedy's day's work it seemed that this almost pastoral scene would continue. He made the complete trip one way to the end of the line without untoward incident of any kind. He had no passengers, but this he expected. The women of the neighborhood had been warned to stay off the car and the men folks, intending to take the attackers by surprise if they came, were going about their business without apparently paying any attention to Speedy.
One fat old woman, a stranger to De Lacey Street, signaled to the car to stop as Speedy turned around to make his trip back to the barn. He waved to her as he shook his head negatively. She motioned frantically, shouted and became very red of face with the exertion of endeavoring to persuade this evidently crazy young man to stop. Speedy went blithely on.
He figured that the trouble would break out on
