“Young chap, it’s time to stop this nonsense, or I’ll have you in the watch-house in no time.  Who are you? and how came you here?”

“Tha’sit; who are you? tha’swhat_I_wan’know.”

“Charles!” (from above.)

“WhocallsCh’rl’s?  HereIam.  Igott’afellah, the bugg_lar_.  Callp’lice!  P’LICE!”

“Charles!” (once more.)

“Do you belong here, young chap?”

“B’long’ere? ’vcourseIdo; wherethedevilsh’dIb’long?”

“You are not Mr. Sandford?”

“Howd’yeknowIa’n’t?  I am Mis’rr-Sanf’d.”

“You are Mr. Sandford’s brother, are you?”

“No, Mis’rr Sanf’d’s my bro’rr.”

“Well, if you’ve got brains enough to understand, listen to me.”

“I’m all ’tensh’n, ‘s Balaam said to th’ass.  G’on, ol’ fellah!—­an’ then g’off!”

“I am an officer, sent to ‘tach your brother’s furnitur’ and stuff; and as there’s nobody here to go bail, I hed to stay and look arter things.”

“H’mushbailyewant?  I’llgi’bail.  An’ I’ll plankzemoney. 
I’vegotsev’ndollars’n’alf.”

“Charles!” (the third time.)

“Wha’nyewant?”

“They want you to go to bed, where you b’long.”

“Gotobed? ’llseeyoudam’f’st!  Leave’nofficer’nth’ouse?  Guessnot!”

“Young’un, I say, take your hand out of my neckhan’kercher!  Hold up!  None o’ yer chokin’ games!  Quit, I say! or, by hokey, I’ll settle ye!”

“Thoughtsh’dmakeyesquawk, ol’t’bacc’worm!  Go’n’tocl’out?  Go’n’tovacateprem’scs?”

“Ooo-arr-awkk!” said the man, under the pressure of a tightening cravat, at the same time giving the assailant “a settler,” as he had threatened.  The two unfortunate women had hitherto looked down upon the conflict, as celestial beings might upon the affairs of men, with no small degree of interest, but clad in robes too ethereal to descend.  But when they saw Charles felled to the floor, and a deathlike silence ensued, they forgot their fears, and rushed down the stairs.  The officer had already raised Charles up.  He was stunned, senseless, and his face was covered with blood.

“You brute! you have murdered him!” exclaimed Marcia.

“Guess not, Ma’am.  Wet his head in col’ water, put him to bed, an’ he’ll sleep it off.”

“It’s useless to talk to such a fellow,” whispered Mrs. Sandford; “besides, we want his aid to carry Charles upstairs.”

“Ye see, I couldn’t help it, Ma’am.  He nigh about choked me to death, and I give him fair warnin’.”

“Never mind now about the quarrel,” said Mrs. Sandford; “you help him upstairs to his room, and we’ll bathe his head.”

While the officer was carrying the young man up-stairs, Mrs. Sandford put on a shawl, and, by the time he had reached the second flight, she opened a door, and lighted the gas with a taper, saying,—­

“In here, if you please.  My brother Henry’s room is the most convenient.”