Mathis hid a smile as Kate left and held up his table knife to watch the men behind him inconspicuously. He watched as the four men put money on the table and walked towards the door just as Kate left. Mathis waited until they had left before standing up and giving his nearly full pint to one of the bar wretches and walked out the side door into the alley. Mathis caught sight of a clock passing the alley and he ran up to the main street and stuck his head around the corner and saw the men following Kate.