I was so much shocked that I stood transfixed, forgetting even to draw Dora away from the sound, while the old woman pleaded that “Mr. Herod” had made the promise, and said nothing of increasing her rent.  Probably Bullock had been irritated by the works set on foot at Ogden’s farm, for he brought out another torrent of horrid imprecations upon “the meddling convict fellow,” the least intolerable of the names he used, and of her for currying favour, threatening her with instant expulsion if she uttered a word of complaint, or mentioned the increase of her rent, and on her hesitation actually lifting his large heavy stick.

We both cried out and sprang forward, though I scarcely suppose that he would have actually struck her.  But much more efficient help was at hand.  Bullock’s broad back was to the gate, and he little knew that at the moment he raised his stick Harold, attracted by his loud railing voice, leaped over the gate, and with one bound was upon the fellow, wresting the stick from his hand and laying it about his shoulders with furious energy.  We all screamed out.  Dora, it was suspected, bade him go on and give it to him well, and perhaps my wrath with the man made me simply shriek; but the sense of our presence did (whatever we wished) check Harold’s violence so far that he ceased his blows, throwing the man from him with such force that he fell prone into the poor dame’s gooseberry-bush, and had to pick himself up through numerous scratches, just as we had hurried round through the garden.

He had regained his feet, and was slinking up to the gate as we met him, and passionately exclaimed:  “Miss Alison, you have seen this; I shall call on you as my witness.”

Dora called out something so vituperative that my energies went in silencing her, nor do I think I answered Bullock, though at least it was a relief to see that, having a great sou’-wester over all his other clothes, the force of the blows had been so broken that he could not have any really serious injury to complain of.  It was not unfortunate, however, that he was so shaken and battered that he went first to exhibit himself to Dr. Kingston’s new partner, and obtain a formidable scientific account of his sprains and bruises; so that Eustace had heard an account of the affray in the first place, and Dora, with a child’s innate satisfaction in repeating personalities, had not spared the epithets with which Bullock had mentioned the “fool of a squire.”  The said squire, touched to the quick, went out invulnerable to his interview, declaring that the agent had been rightly served, only wishing he had had more, and indignantly refusing Bullock’s offer to abstain from prosecuting Mr. Harold Alison on receiving a handsome compensation, and a promise never to be interfered with again.  Eustace replied—­too much, I fear, in his own coin—­with orders to send in his accounts immediately and to consider himself dismissed from his agency from that hour; and then came back to us like a conquering hero, exulting in his own magnanimous firmness, which “had shown he was not to be trifled with.”