ith
the short, sharper tones of Mrs. Bindle. A moment later the door
opened, and two men entered supporting the limp form of Mr.
Gupperduck.

"'Oly angels!" cried Bindle, starting up. "'Oly angels! someone's been
a-tryin' to alter 'im." He bent forward to get a better view. "Done it
pretty well, too," he muttered as he gazed at the unprepossessing
features of Mr. Gupperduck, now accentuated by a black eye, a broken
lip, a contusion on the right cheek-bone, and one ear covered with
blood. His collar had disappeared, also his hat and spectacles, his
waist-coat was torn open, and various portions were missing from his
coat.

"Wot's 'e been doin'?" enquired Bindle of a weedy-looking man with
long hair, a sandy pointed beard, and a cloth cap, three sizes too
large for him, which rested on the tops of his ears. "Wot's 'e been up
to?"

"He's been addressing a meeting," replied the man in a mournful voice.

Bindle turned once more to Mr. Gupperduck and examined him closely.

"Looks as if the meetin's been addressin' 'im, don't it?" he remarked.

"It was not a very successful meeting," remarked the other supporter
of Mr. Gupperduck, a very little man with a very long beard. "It
wasn't a very successful meeting," he repeated with conviction.

"Well, I never seen a meetin' make such alterations in a man in all my
puff," remarked Bindle.

Mrs. Bindle had busied herself in preparing a basin of hot water with
which to wash the mud and blood from the victim's pallid face. With
closed eyes Mr. Gupperduck continued to breathe heavily.

Bindle with practical samaritanism went into the parlour and returned
with a half-quartern bottle. Pouring some of the contents into a glass
he held it to Mr. Gupperduck's lips. Without the least resistance the
liquid was swallowed.

"Took that down pretty clean," said Bindle, looking up at the man with
the sandy beard.

"Don't do that!" cried Mrs. Bindle, turning suddenly, her nostrils
detecting the smell of alcohol.

"Do what?" enquired Bindle from where he knelt beside the damaged Mr.
Gupperduck.

"Give him that," said Mrs. Bindle, "he's temperance."

"Well, 'e ain't now," remarked Bindle with calm conviction.

"Oh, you villain!" The vindictiveness of Mrs. Bindle's tone caused the
three listeners to look up, and even Mr. Gupperduck's eyelids, after a
preliminary flutter, raised themselves, as he gazed about him
wonderingly.

"Where am I?" he moaned.

"You're all right," said Mrs