Green had scarcely finished the sentence, ere he was lying full length upon the floor.  The other had sprung upon him like a tiger, and with one blow from his heavy fist, struck him down as if he had been a child.  For a moment or two, Green lay stunned and bewildered—­then, starting up with a savage cry, that sounded more bestial than human, he drew a long knife from a concealed sheath, and attempted to stab his assailant, but the murderous purpose was not accomplished, for the other man, who had superior strength and coolness, saw the design, and with a well directed blow almost broke the arm of Green, causing the knife to leave his hand and glide far across the room.

“I’m half tempted to wring your neck off,” exclaimed the man, whose name was Lyon, now much excited, and seizing Green by the throat, he strangled him until his face grew black.  “Draw a knife on me, ha!  You murdering villain!” And he gripped him tighter.

Judge Lyman and the landlord now interfered, and rescued Green from the hands of his fully aroused antagonist.  For some time they stood growling at each other, like two parted dogs struggling to get free, in order to renew the conflict, but gradually cooled off.  In a little while Judge Lyman drew Green aside, and the two men left the bar-room to other.  In the door, as they were retiring, the former slightly nodded to Willy Hammond, who soon followed them, going into the sitting room, and from thence, as I could perceive, upstairs to an apartment above.

“Not after much good,” I heard Lyon mutter to himself.  “If Judge Hammond don’t look a little closer after that boy of his, he’ll be sorry for it, that’s all”

“Who is this Green?” I asked of Lyon, finding myself alone with him in the bar-room soon after.

“A blackleg, I take it,” was his unhesitating answer.

“Does Judge Lyman suspect his real character?”

“I don’t know anything about that, but I wouldn’t be afraid to bet ten dollars, that if you could look in upon them now, you would find cards in their hands.”

“What a school, and what teachers for the youth who just went with them!” I could not help remarking.

“Willy Hammond?”

“Yes.”

“You may well say that.  What can his father be thinking about to leave him exposed to such influences!”

“He’s one of the few who are in raptures about this tavern, because its erection has slightly increased the value of his property about here, but if he is not the loser of fifty per cent for every one gained, before ten years go by, I’m very much in error.”

“How so?”

“It will prove, I fear, the open door to ruin to his son.”

“That’s bad,” said I.

“Bad!  It is awful to think of.  There is not a finer young man in the country, nor one with better mind and heart, than Willy Hammond.  So much the sadder will be his destruction.  Ah, sir! this tavern-keeping is a curse to any place.”