nd, darted forward with little to fear from her
pursuer; while the dog, naturally regarding the whole affair as an
entertainment got up for his benefit, barked jubilantly, and did his
best to force the pace. After a minute or two Mr Ratman began to
wonder if the game was worth the candle, and was turning over in his
mind the awkward possibility of owning himself beaten, when he perceived
that the little fugitive was, by some error of judgment on her part,
leading the way into what looked uncommonly like a _cul de sac_.
Therefore, although painfully aware of the stitch in his side, he
bravely held on, and had the gratification in a minute more of running
his little victim to earth after all.

"Aha!" said he, laughing and panting; "you can't get away from me, you
see. Now, my little beauty, I'm going to take you back in custody to
the place where you started from, and make you beg my pardon very
prettily for nearly knocking me over."

In vain Jill protested and struggled; he held her by the wrist as with a
vice, and, rather enjoying her wild efforts to escape, literally
proceeded to carry his threat into execution.

He had nearly brought her back to the starting-place, and she, having
fought and struggled all the way, was beginning with humiliation to feel
her eyes growing dim with tears, when a gentleman dressed in boating
flannels, with one arm in a sling and an eye-glass in his eye, stepped
abruptly across the path.

A moment later Mr Robert Ratman lay on the grass half a dozen yards
away, on the flat of his back, blinking up at the sky.

Several curious reflections passed through his mind as he occupied this
not very exhilarating position. Jill had escaped after all. That was
annoying. He should have a black eye for a week. That was very
annoying. This left-handed individual with the eye-glass must be the
tutor. That was most excessively annoying.

And the injured gentleman, neither looking nor feeling at all well,
pulled himself together and sprang to his feet.

Jill was there, clinging to her champion. "Run away, Jill!" said
Armstrong.

"But you have only one arm," said she. "Go, Jill!" said he, so
decisively that the little maid, darting only one look behind her, fled
towards the house.

All she saw was the two men facing one another--one flurried, vicious,
and noisy; the other curious, silent, disgusted.

"You dog!" hissed Ratman, with an oath, "what do you mean by that?"

"My meaning shoul