me at first," she said, covering her face with
her hands, and again she cried, "Help!"

"Shut up that noise," said Bott, who was kicking violently at the door,
but could not break it down. "Shut up, or I'll wring your neck."

She stopped, not on account of his threats, which suddenly ceased, but
because she heard the noise of footsteps on the porch, and of a short
but violent scuffle, which showed that aid of some sort had arrived. In
a few moments she heard Bott run away from her door. He started toward
the stairs, but finding his retreat cut off ran to the front window,
closely pursued. She heard a scramble. Then a voice which made her
heart beat tumultuously said. "Look out below there."

A moment after, the same voice said, "Have you got him?" and then, "All
right! keep him."

A light knock on her door followed, and Farnham said, "Miss Belding."

Alice stood by the door a moment before she could open it. Her heart
was still thumping, her voice failed her, she turned white and red in a
moment. The strongest emotion of which she was conscious was the hope
that Arthur had not heard her call him by his name.

She opened the door with a gravity which was almost ludicrous. Her
first words were wholly so.

"Good-evening, Captain Farnham," was all she could find to say. Then,
striving desperately to add something more gracious, she stammered,
"Mamma will be very----"

"Glad to see me in the drawing room?" Farnham laughed. "I have no doubt
of it. She is quite safe there; and your visitors have gone. Will you
join her now?"

She could not help perceiving the slight touch of sarcasm in his tone.
She saw he was hurt by her coldness and shyness, and that made her
still more cold and shy. Without another word she walked before him to
the drawing-room, where Mrs. Belding still sat in her rocking-chair,
moaning and wringing her hands. Mr. Temple was standing beside her
trying to soothe her, telling her it was all over. Bolty was tying the
arms of one of the ruffians behind him, who lay on the floor on his
face. There was no one else in the room.

Alice knelt on the floor by her mother and took her in her arms. "You
are not hurt, are you, mamma dear?" she said, in a soft, tender tone,
as if she were caressing a crying child.

"Oh, no! I suppose not," said the widow; "but I am not used to such
doings at this time of night, and I don't like them. Captain Farnham,
how shall I ever thank you? and you, Mr. Temple? Goodness