ng."

"No fighting!" cried Mr. Jinks, whose ferocity, as soon as he found
himself held back, became tremendous,--"no fighting!"

"No," said Ralph.

"Release me, sir!"

"Never!" cried Ralph, pinning his arms.

"Hold me, sir! or I will at once inflict condign punishment upon this
individual!"

"Certainly," said Ralph, beginning to laugh. "I will hold you; I
thought you said release you!"

"I did, sir!" cried Mr. Jinks, making a very faint effort to get at
Verty.

"Which shall I do?"

"I will murder him!" cried Mr. Jinks, struggling with more energy,
from the fact that Ralph had grasped him more tightly.

"Jinks! Jinks! you a murderer!"

"I have been wronged!" said the champion, brandishing his sword.

"Oh, no."

"The respectable Mrs. Scowley has been insulted!"

"You are mistaken!"

"The divine Sallianna has been charged with falsehood!"

"A mere jest."

"Let me run the villain through!"

And Mr. Jinks made a terrific lunge with his sword at Verty, and
requested Mr. Ashley to hold him tight, unless he wished to see the
Bower of Nature swimming in "gory blood!"

The colloquy we have faithfully reported, took place in far less time
than we have taken to narrate it.

Redbud had hastened forward with terror in her face, Fanny with
bewilderment--lastly, Miss Sallianna had rushed up to the spot with
a scream; the various personages came together just when Mr. Jinks
uttered his awful threat in relation to "gory blood."

"Oh, Verty!" said Redbud.

Verty smiled.

"Alphonso!" cried Miss Sallianna, with distraction.

Alphonso Jinks made overwhelming efforts to get at his enemy.

"Please don't fight--for my sake, Verty!" murmured Redbud, with pale
lips.

"Spare him, Alphonso!" cried Miss Sallianna, with a shake of agony in
her voice; "spare his youth, and do not take opprobrious revenge!"

"He has wronged me!" cried Mr. Jinks.

"Pardon him, Alphonso!"

"He has insulted you!"

"I forgive him!" cried Miss Sallianna.

"I will have revenge!"

And Mr. Jinks brandished his sword, and kept at a distance from Verty,
making a feint of struggling.

"Jinks," said Ralph, "you are tiring me out. I shall let you go in
another second, if you don't put up that sword, and stop wrestling
with me!"

This threat seemed to moderate Mr. Jinks' rage, and he replied:

"This momentary anger is over, sir--I forgive, that young
man--Sallianna! beautiful Sallianna! for thy sake!"

But overcome with nerves, and