," he added, glancing around the
room, apparently in search of some weapon.

"I think so too, and I am going to do something, if need be."

"What are you going to do?"

"If you want to talk, I'll talk. I wish you to understand that I'm just
as cool as well-water, and this thing has gone just as far as it's going
to."

"What do you mean by that, you scoundrel? What thing?"

"My sister Flora is a poor, weak, sick child. She isn't your servant,
nor your wife's servant; and she shall not be kicked round by either one
of you. That's all I have to say."

"Who has kicked her round?" growled the captain.

"Mrs. Fishley has done just the same as to kick her. She took her by the
arm, dragged her out of her chair, and was shaking her when I stepped
in."

I was particular to state the facts thus explicitly, because I did not
believe Mrs. Fishley had been careful to include this portion of the
affair in her complaint to her husband.

"It's no such thing! I should like to know!" exclaimed Mrs. Fishley,
who, by some miracle, had been enabled to hold her tongue thus far.

"I saw her do it," I added.

"It's no such thing!"

"Didn't you take her by the arm?" I demanded.

"Well, I did just touch her on the arm, but I didn't hurt her none. I
wouldn't hurt her for a million dollars."

"Let Flora speak for herself," I continued. "What did she do to you,
Flora?"

"I don't like to say anything about it, Buckland. She didn't hurt me
much," answered the terrified child.

"You see, she won't say I shook her, or did any such awful thing," said
the virago, triumphantly.

"Speak, my dearest sister. We had better settle this matter now," I
added.

"She did take me by the arm, pull me out of the chair, and was shaking
me, when you interfered," replied the poor girl, trembling with fear of
the consequences of her truthful confession.

"Well, I never!" gasped Mrs. Fishley.

Captain Fishley evidently believed that his wife was lame; but this did
not make much difference to him. He was a tyrant and a bully; but, as
tyrants and bullies always are, he was a coward, or he would have
demolished me before this time. He had a wholesome respect for the
poker, which I still kept in readiness for immediate use.

"No matter whether Mrs. Fishley touched the child or not," said he,
savagely. "No boy in my house shall insult my wife, or raise his hand
against her."

"And no man or woman, in this or any other house, shall raise his hand
a