women, and perchance by the thought
that they had been brought up to that life; had never known better, and
would never have a chance of knowing better, unless some exceptional
rays of heavenly light, should penetrate the dark region in which they
lived. Praise be to God! such rays do visit such haunts at times, and
brands are often plucked from the fire, but with these we have nothing
to do at present. Our object just now is to trace the course of John
Gunter.

You may be sure that one who spent his money so freely, and at the same
time drank heavily, was not likely to escape the special attention of
his new friend, the burglar. That worthy, besides being an expert in
the heavier branches of his art, was not unacquainted with its lighter
work. He watched the fisherman narrowly, observed in which pocket he
kept his money, waited until he was sufficiently drunk for his purpose,
and then picked his pockets at an engrossing moment, when the clerk was
unfolding a perfect scheme of national reform to the parson, who, with
eyes shut, and supposed to be listening intently, was in reality fast
asleep.

His object accomplished, the burglar said he would go out, and have a
look at the weather, which he did, and having quietly hidden his spoils
he returned to report the weather "all right," and to make quite sure
that he had left nothing whatever in any of Gunter's pockets. Having
satisfied himself on this point he was about to retire to take a final
look at the weather when Gunter said--"Hold on, mate; 'ave another
glass."

He felt in his pocket for the wherewith to pay for the drink, and missed
his money. He was by no means as drunk as he appeared to be, and at
once suspected his comrade.

"You've stole my blunt!" he shouted, without a moment's hesitation.

"You're a liar," returned the burglar, promptly. Gunter was fierce by
nature. He made no rejoinder, but struck a blow at the other which
would have felled him had it taken effect. The burglar, however, was a
pugilist. He evaded the blow, and returned it with such force that the
fisherman staggered, but recovered himself, and grappled with his
adversary.

In a moment all was uproar and confusion; benches were upset, spittoons
kicked about, and pipes smashed, as the two powerful men swayed about,
and tried fiercely to strangle each other. The women rushed screaming
from the place; the landlord and his assistants interfered, but it was
not until the police we