boxing, but it was not
impossible that, even with the backing of justifiable indignation, the
conventional blow straight from the shoulder might have failed to fell
the tall deck-hand.

But even had Lodloe succeeded in stretching the insulting man upon the
dirty deck, it is not at all probable that he would have staid there. In
five seconds there would have been a great fight, and it would not have
been long before the young gentleman would have found himself in the
custody of a policeman.

Lodloe's common sense was capable of considerable tension without giving
way, even under a strain like this, and, although pale with anger, he
would not engage in a personal contest with a deck-hand on a crowded
steamboat; but to bear the insult was almost impossible. Never before
had he been subjected to such violent abuse.

But in a flash he remembered something, and the man had scarcely turned
his empty truck to go back to the pier, when Lodloe stepped in front of
him, and with a wave of the hand stopped him.

Two nights before Lodloe had been sitting up late reading some papers on
modern Italian history, and in the course of said reading had met with
the text of the _anathema maranatha_ pronounced by Pius IX. against
disbelievers in his infallibility. The directness, force, and
comprehensiveness of the expressions used in this composition made a
deep impression upon Lodloe, and as it was not very long he had
committed it to memory, thinking that he might some time care to use it
in quotation. Now it flashed upon him that the time had come to quote
this _anathema maranatha_, without hesitation he delivered the whole of
it, and square, straight into the face of the petrified deck-hand.

Petrified immediately he was not. As first he flushed furiously, but
after a few phrases he began to pale and to turn to living stone; enough
mobility, however, remained to allow him presently to raise his hand
imploringly, but Lodloe had now nearly finished his discourse, and with
a few words more he turned and walked away. The deck-hand wiped his
brow, took in a long breath, and went to work. If another passenger had
got in his way, he would not have sworn at him.

Therefore it was that, gently pleased by the sensations of victory,
Walter Lodloe sat on the upper deck and watched the busy scene. He soon
noted that passengers were beginning to come down the pier in
considerable numbers, and among these his eye was caught by a young
woman whee