n from his brow.

"Whew! but I'm used up. Aren't you ready to go home, mother? And you
Joyce--do you want to stay all night? If I can once get you safely out
of this, I shall be glad!"

"Safely out--why do you speak like that, Larry?"

"Then you haven't heard anything here?" looking from one to the other,
surprisedly.

"Nothing save what you are hearing now, the clatter of many tongues and
plates. Why, my son?"

"Oh! nothing, only there has just been a pretty sharp scrimmage outside.
That ugly-looking fellow I had to rebuke for rudeness, out here, was
pushing his way to the outer door in the way he seems to affect, when he
ran plump into an old party--let's see, they said his name was Murphy, I
think, or something like that--and of a sudden--well! they sprang at
each others' throats like a couple of tigers. They were right in the
midst of it, and every one too astonished to move, when in came a couple
of the city police, gave one look, and in a trice had my ugly man thrown
down and were putting on the bracelets. It seems, the fellow's an
escaped convict, and has been hiding around here in the woods for weeks.
He must have been so nearly starved as to lose all caution before coming
to so public a place. I can't understand it, myself, but I presume he
would have escaped unmolested, only for the fight. Dalton," turning to
the manager who had just returned from his prolonged absence, "what does
it all mean, anyhow? I suppose you saw the fracas?"

"No, I got there just as it was all over, and I can't tell you much
about it. They've taken the man away, and Murfree, too. The latter is
pretty badly used up and can't talk. That was as savage a brute as I
ever saw!"

"He was a desperate man," said Joyce, still feeling the stirrings of
pity. "He was nearly starved to death, and there was something awful
between him and that Murfree--I could see that."

"You could?" The manager gave her a wondering glance.

"Are you very observing? No one seems to know any reason for his
springing upon Murfree so."

"There _was_ a reason," persisted Joyce. "They had met before, I'm
certain. Come, ma mere, let's go home."

"You are tired, child. Yes, we will go at once. It must be late."

Joyce's tone had expressed more than weariness, and Madame Bonnivel's
heart ached for her disappointment and chagrin. She took the girl's hand
and drew her along.

"Larry, you'll stay with Mr. Dalton and help preserve order! Gilbert can
accompany u