A man from the crowd quickly stepped into the tonneau of the car, ready to care for the woman and her children while the physician drove his car home.
“Hello, Reade! My congratulations on your getting out. 'Twas a brave deed, too, to save that poor woman and her children.”
Frank Danes pressed through the crowd about the car, reaching out to seize Reade's hand.
Into Tom's face flashed a sudden look that few had ever seen there.
It was a look full of contempt that the young chief engineer bent on the man who had greeted him.
“Your hand!” cried Danes, in a voice ringing with admiration.
“Don't you touch me!” warned Reade, his voice vibrating with anger.
“Why—what—” began Danes, then reached his own right hand for Tom's.
“Make way for this 'gentleman' to fall!” roared Reade, then swung a crushing blow that landed squarely in Danes's face.
The latter went down in a heap.