ves in their outer garments, and started with the
intention of going out to purchase a couple of trunks and other
necessaries for their long voyage.

Lyon was cheerful; Sybil was even gay; both were full of bright
anticipations for the future. For were they not flying toward freedom?

They had reached the great lower halls of the hotel, when they were
stopped by a sound of altercation in the office, which was on their
right hand as they went out.

"I tell you," said the clerk of the house, in an angry voice, "that
there is no one of that name here!"

"And I tell you there _is_! And there she is now! I'd know her among ten
thousand!" exclaimed a harsh, rude-looking man, who the next instant
came out of the office and confronted Sybil, saying roughly:

"I know you, madam! You're my prisoner, Madam Berners! And you'll not do
_me_, I reckon, as you did Purley! I'm Jones! And 'tan't one murder
you've got to answer for now, but half a dozen!"

And without a word of warning, he snapped a pair of handcuffs upon the
lady's delicate wrists.

"VILLAIN!" thundered Sybil's husband, as with a sweep of his strong arm
he felled the ruffian to the floor.

It was but a word and a blow, "and the blow came first."

He caught his half-fainting wife to his bosom, and strove to free her
from those insulting bracelets; but he could not wrench them off without
wounding and bruising her tender flesh.

Meanwhile the fallen officer sprung to his feet, and called upon all
good citizens to help him execute his warrant.

A crowd collected then. A riot ensued. Lyon Berners, holding his poor
young wife to his bosom, vainly, madly, desperately defended her against
all comers, dealing frantic blows with his single right arm on all
sides. Of course, for the time being, he was insane.

"Knock him down! Brain him! but don't hurt the woman," shouted some one
in the crowd. And some other one, armed with a heavy iron poker, dealt
him a crashing blow upon the bare head. And Sybil's brave defender
relaxed his protecting hold upon her form, fell broken, bleeding,
perhaps dying at her feet.

A piercing scream broke from her lips. She stooped to raise her husband,
but was at that instant seized by the officer, and forced from the spot.

"Shame! shame!" cried a bystander. "Take the handcuffs off the poor
woman, and let her look at her husband."

"Poor woman indeed!" exclaimed Jones, the officer, "she's the biggest
devil alive! Do you know what she'