forward at this, and while I fell upon the
footman, Phil staggered the captain with a blow. As Falconer turned
with an exclamation, to see by whom he was attacked, Madge tore
herself from his relaxed hold, ran to the house door, and set the
knocker going at its loudest. A second blow from Philip sent the
captain reeling against his coach wheel. I, meanwhile, had drawn the
footman from the maid; who now joined her mistress and continued
shrieking at the top of her voice. The fellow, seeing his master
momentarily in a daze, and being alarmed by the knocking and
screaming, was put at a loss. The house door opening, and the noise
bringing people to their windows, and gentlemen rushing out of Jack's
tavern hard by, Master Richard recovered from his irresolution, ran
and forced his master into the coach, got in after him to keep him
there, and shouted to the coachman to drive off.

"Very well, madam," cried Falconer through the coach door, before it
closed with a bang, "but I'll keep my word yet, I promise you!"
Whereupon, the coach rolled away behind galloping horses.

Forgetting, in the moment's excitement, my intention of dogging the
captain to his residence, I accompanied Philip to the doorway, where
stood Madge with her maid and a house servant. She was waiting to
thank her protectors, whom, in the rush and partial darkness, she had
not yet recognised. It was, indeed, far from her thoughts that we two,
whom she had left so many years before in America, should turn up at
her side in London at such a moment.

We took off our hats, and bowed. Her face had already formed a smile
of thanks, when we raised our heads into the light from a candle the
house servant carried. Madge gave a little startled cry of joy, and
looked from one to the other of us to make sure she was not under a
delusion: then fondly murmuring Phil's name and mine in what faint
voice was left her, she made first as if she would fall into his arms;
but recollecting with a look of pain how matters stood between them,
she drew back, steadied herself against the door-post, and dropped her
eyes from his.

"We should like to talk with you a little, my dear," said Phil gently.
"May we come in?"

There was a gleam of new-lighted hope in her eyes as she looked up and
answered tremulously:

"'Twill be a happiness--more than I dared expect."

We followed the servant with the candle up-stairs to a small
drawing-room, in which a table was set with bread, cheese