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 possible that a cup could do much damage. The door was still open. He laid one hand on the knob, and clutched it, and stood there at the edge of the gathering.

The coming of the policeman had brought order out of confusion. Two men bent down and lifted the clerk to his feet. His eyes opened, and he came back to consciousness, and struggled to find his balance. Bert, from his heart, breathed a prayer of relief.

"What happened to you?" Policeman Glynn asked. "Did you fall?"

"I was hit," Sam said weakly.

"By what?"

"I don't know."

"Who hit you?"

Sam's eyes roved about the circle of faces. "He did," he said, and pointed to Bert in the doorway.

"You," said Policeman Glynn, and shook his head. "Bad business. I always thought you were one of the nice, easy lads who would never give a peep of trouble. I'll have to take you in if this gentleman's going to make a complaint."

Sam was rapidly recovering. "You can bet I'm going to make a complaint. He assaulted me. I hadn't done anything to him. I was walking out and he hit me with something."

The policeman stooped and picked up half of the cup. "This it?" he asked Bert. The boy