him by the collar, and hurled him back.

"What do you mean by assaulting my son?" he demanded, coolly.

Pietro was rather astonished at this unexpected attack.

"He is my brother," he said. "He must go back with me."

"He is not your brother. If you touch him again, I will hand you to the
police."

"He ran away from my uncle," said Pietro.

"Your uncle should have treated him better."

"He stole a fiddle," said Pietro, doggedly.

"He had paid for it over and over again," said the doctor. "Phil, come
along. We have no further business with this young man."

They walked on, but Pietro followed at a little distance. Seeing this,
Dr. Drayton turned back.

"Young man," he said, "do you see that policeman across the street?"

"Si, signore," answered Pietro.

"Then I advise you to go in a different direction, or I shall request
him to follow you."

Pietro's sallow face was pale with rage. He felt angry enough to tear
Phil to pieces, but his rage was unavailing. He had a wholesome fear
of the police, and the doctor's threat was effectual. He turned
away, though with reluctance, and Phil breathed more freely. Pietro
communicated his information to the padrone, and the latter, finding
that Phil had found a powerful protector, saw that it would be dangerous
for him to carry the matter any further, and sensibly resolved to give
up the chase.

Of the padrone I have only further to say that some months later he got
into trouble. In a low drinking saloon an altercation arose between him
and another ruffian one evening, when the padrone, in his rage, drew a
knife, and stabbed his adversary. He was arrested and is now serving out
his sentence in Sing Sing.

Pietro, by arrangement with him, took his place, stipulating to pay
him a certain annual sum. But he has taken advantage of his uncle's
incarceration to defraud him, and after the first payment neglected to
make any returns. It may readily be imagined that this imbitters the
padrone's imprisonment. Knowing what I do of his fierce temper, I should
not be surprised to hear of a murderous encounter between him and his
nephew after his release from imprisonment, unless, as is probable, just
before the release, Pietro should flee the country with the ill-gotten
gains he may have acquired during his term of office. Meanwhile the boys
are treated with scarcely less rigor by him than by his uncle, and toil
early and late, suffering hardships and privations, that Pietro may