listener,
but the effect was magical. The Honorable Mr. Tickels started, and
rapidly surveyed the person and countenance of the Corporal; then he
reddened with confusion, and began to murmur a broken apology for his
conduct, in which he was interrupted rather abruptly.

"Not a word, sir, not a word," said the little old gentleman, "all your
apologies cannot remove from my mind the impression created by your
treatment of this poor child; and, sir," (here the Corporal again lost
his temper) "you cannot destroy my conviction that you are the d----dest
scoundrel that ever went unhung! Consider yourself fortunate if you are
not held legally responsible for your forcible detention of the young
girl in your house, and for your attempted outrage on her person,--damn
you! Come, my child, this gentleman will no longer oppose our exit from
his mansion."

The Corporal was right; the Honorable Mr. Tickels offered not the
slightest objection to their departure, but on the contrary ushered them
down stairs with great politeness, and held open the street door for
them to pass out.

When Fanny found herself once more in the open street, out of the power
of her persecutor, and on the way to her home and friends, her gratitude
to her deliverer knew no bounds; she thanked the good Corporal a
thousand times, and spoke of the approaching meeting with her
grandfather and brother with rapture. Soon they reached their place of
destination; once more the young girl stood in the humble apartment
wherein all her affections were centered;--once more her aged
grandfather clasped her in his arms, and again did she receive the fond
kiss of fraternal love from the lips of her brother.

As soon as they had left the residence of the Honorable Mr. Tickels, in
South street, the gentleman locked himself up in his study, threw
himself into a chair, and actually began tearing his hair with rage and
vexation.

"Hell and furies!" cried he--"to be thus fooled and baffled at the very
moment when my object was about to be accomplished--to have that
luscious morsel snatched from my grasp, when I was just about to taste
its sweets. The thought is madness! And, in the name of wonder, how came
HE to know that she was here, and why does _he_ interest himself in her
at all? I dare not trifle with _him_! Were some poor, poverty-stricken
devil to constitute himself her champion, I might crush him at once; but
_he_ is above my reach. No matter; she shall yet be mine-