river as
they crossed Euterpe street, had received the change and deposited his
fare as they passed Terpsichore, and was just sitting down when the only
other passenger in the vehicle said, half-rising:--

"Hello! there's going to be a shooting scrape!"

A rather elderly man and woman on the sidewalk, both of them extremely
well dressed, and seemingly on the eve of hailing the omnibus, suddenly
transferred their attention to a younger couple a few steps from them,
who appeared to have met them entirely by accident. The elderly lady
threw out her arms toward the younger man with an expression on her face
of intensest mental suffering. She seemed to cry out; but the deafening
rattle of the omnibus, as it approached them, intercepted the sound.
All four of the persons seemed, in various ways, to experience the most
violent feelings. The young man more than once moved as if about to
start forward, yet did not advance; his companion, a small, very shapely
woman, clung to him excitedly and pleadingly. The older man shook a
stout cane at the younger, talking furiously as he did so. He held the
elderly lady to him with his arm thrown about her, while she now cast
her hands upward, now covered her face with them, now wrung them,
clasped them, or extended one of them in seeming accusation against the
younger person of her own sex. In a moment the omnibus was opposite the
group. The Doctor laid his hand on his fellow-passenger's arm.

"Don't get out. There will be no shooting."

The young man on the sidewalk suddenly started forward, with his
companion still on his farther arm, and with his eyes steadily fixed on
those of the elder and taller man, a clenched fist lifted defensively,
and with a tense, defiant air walked hurriedly and silently by within
easy sweep of the uplifted staff. At the moment when the slight distance
between the two men began to increase, the cane rose higher, but stopped
short in its descent and pointed after the receding figure.

"I command you to leave this town, sir!"

Dr. Sevier looked. He looked with all his might, drawing his knee under
him on the cushion and leaning out. The young man had passed. He still
moved on, turning back as he went a face full of the fear that men show
when they are afraid of their own violence; and, as the omnibus
clattered away, he crossed the street at the upper corner and
disappeared in the shadows.

"That's a very strange thing," said the other passenger to Dr. Sev