t we are engaged?"

"Well; yes; I do. I'm very sorry, you know, if I seem to be
uncivil--"

"It's because I've no brother," said the tigress. "He thinks that
I have no man near me to protect me. But he shall find that I can
protect myself. John Eames, why are you treating me like this?"

"I shall consult my cousin the serjeant to-morrow," said the dragon.
"In the meantime he must remain in this house. I shall not allow the
front door to be unlocked for him."

This, I think, was the bitterest moment of all to Johnny. To be
confined all night in Lady Demolines's drawing-room would, of itself,
be an intolerable nuisance. And then the absurdity of the thing, and
the story that would go abroad! And what would he say to the dragon's
cousin the serjeant, if the serjeant should be brought upon the field
before he was able to escape from it? He did not know what a serjeant
might not do to him in such circumstances. There was one thing no
serjeant should do, and no dragon! Between them all they should never
force him to marry the tigress. At this moment Johnny heard a tramp
along the pavement, and he rushed to the window. Before the dragon or
even the tigress could arrest him, he had thrown up the sash, and had
appealed in his difficulty to the guardian of the night. "I say, old
fellow," said Johnny, "don't you stir from that till I tell you." The
policeman turned his bull's-eye upon the window, and stood perfectly
motionless. "Now, if you please, I'll say good-night," said Johnny.
But, as he spoke he still held the open window in his hand.

"What means this violence in my house?" said the dragon.

"Mamma, you had better let him go," said the tigress. "We shall know
where to find him."

"You will certainly be able to find me," said Johnny.

"Go," said the dragon, shaking her crest,--shaking all her armour at
him,--"dastard, go!"

"Policeman," shouted Johnny, while he still held the open window in
his hand, "mind you don't stir till I come out." The bull's-eye was
shifted a little, but the policeman spoke never a word.

"I wish you good-night, Lady Demolines," said Johnny. "Good-night,
Miss Demolines." Then he left the window and made a run for the door.
But the dragon was there before him.

"Let him go, mamma," said the tigress as she closed the window. "We
shall only have a rumpus."

"That will be all," said Johnny. "There isn't the slightest use in
your trying to keep me here."

"And are we never to see you aga