ning tongue, and bloodshot
eyes, he had become infuriated at his poor, little girl, that cowered
tremblingly in a corner, because she would not go out and get him some
more drink. Half-crazed, and utterly reckless, he had sprung at the
child, and might have inflicted mortal injury upon her had not the
mother interposed, and kept him at bay for a moment, while she joined
her shrieks to those the girl was already uttering.

It was just at this moment that Bert entered the room. As quick as a
flash he sprang to Pat Brannigan's side, and seized his arm now uplifted
to strike down the unhappy wife. With a howl of rage the big brute
turned to see who had thus dared to interfere. He did not know Bert, and
his surprise at seeing a well-dressed stranger in the room made him
hesitate a moment. Then with an oath he demanded:

"Who may you be, and what's your business here?"

Bert looked straight into his eyes, as he answered, quietly:

"I heard the noise, and I came in to see what was the matter."

"Then you can just be taking yourself off again as fast as you like,"
growled the giant, fiercely.

Bert did not stir.

"Be off with you now. Do you hear me?" shouted Brannigan, raising his
clenched fist in a way there was no mistaking.

Still Bert did not move.

"Then take that," yelled Brannigan, aiming a terrible blow at the boy.
But before it could reach him the poor wife, with a wild shriek, sprang
in between them, and her husband's great fist descended upon her head,
felling her to the floor, where she lay as though dead.

At this moment, Mr. McMaster rushed in through the open door. Pat
Brannigan knew him well, and when sober held him in profound respect.
Even now his appearance checked his fury, and he stood swaying in the
centre of the room, looking with his bleared, bloodshot eyes, first at
Mr. McMaster, and then at the motionless heap upon the floor at his
feet.

Advancing a step or two, Mr. McMaster looked into Brannigan's fiery
face, and asked, sternly, as he pointed to the insensible woman lying
between them:

"Is that your work?"

The giant quailed before the fearless, condemning glance of the man who
seemed like a pigmy beside him. His head fell upon his breast, and
without attempting a reply, he slunk over to the other end of the room,
flung himself into a chair, and buried his face in his hands.

"Come, Bert, let us lift her up on the bed," said Mr. McMaster, and
between them Mrs. Brannigan was lifted