n who had first
spoken to her. Thinking this was going too far, I jumped up and went
quickly across the turf towards them. My footsteps made no sound on the
soft grass, and as they were too much occupied in examining what she had
given them, they did not notice my approach.

"You scoundrels!" I said, when I had come up with them. "What do you
mean by stopping this lady? Let her go instantly; and you, my friend,
just hand over that purse."

The man addressed looked at me as if he were taking my measure, and were
wondering what sort of chance he'd have against me in a fight. But I
suppose my height must have rather scared him, for he changed his tone
and began to whine.

"I haven't got the lady's purse, s'help me, I ain't! I was only a asking
of 'er the time!"

"Hand over that purse!" I said sternly, approaching a step nearer to
him.

One of the others here intervened,--"Let's stowch 'im, Dog! There ain't
a copper in sight!"

With that they began to close upon me. But, as the saying goes, "I'd
been there before." I'd not been knocking about the rough side of the
world for fifteen years without learning how to take care of myself.
When they had had about enough of it, which was most likely more than
they had bargained for, I took the purse and went to where the innocent
cause of it all was standing. She was looking very white and scared, but
she plucked up sufficient courage to thank me prettily.

I can see her now, standing there looking into my face with big tears in
her pretty blue eyes. She was a girl of about twenty-one or two years of
age--tall, but slenderly built, with a sweet oval face, bright brown
hair, and the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen in my life. She was
dressed in some dark green material, wore a fawn jacket, and, because
the afternoon was cold, had a boa of marten fur round her neck. I can
remember also that her hat was of some flimsy make, with lace and
glittering spear points in it, and that the whole structure was
surmounted by two bows, one of black ribbon, the other of salmon pink.

"Oh, how can I thank you?" she began, when I had come up with her. "But
for your appearance I don't know what those men might not have done to
me."

"I was very glad that I _was_ there to help you," I replied, looking
into her face with more admiration for its warm young beauty than
perhaps I ought to have shown. "Here is your purse. I hope you will find
its contents safe. At the same time will you let