left--and talking about it, when
we 'eard a shout and saw a ragged-looking tramp running toward us as 'ard
as he could run. Every now and then he'd look over 'is shoulder and give
a shout, and then run 'arder than afore.

"'It's the tiger!' ses Bill Chambers, and afore you could wink a'most he
was inside the house, 'aving first upset Smith and a pot o' beer in the
doorway.

"Before he could get up, Smith 'ad to wait till we was all in. His
langwidge was awful for a man as 'ad a license to lose, and everybody
shouting 'Tiger!' as they trod on 'im didn't ease 'is mind. He was
inside a'most as soon as the last man, though, and in a flash he 'ad the
door bolted just as the tramp flung 'imself agin it, all out of breath
and sobbing 'is hardest to be let in.

"'Open the door,' he ses, banging on it.

"'Go away,' ses Smith.

"'It's the tiger,' screams the tramp; 'open the door.'

"'You go away,' ses Smith, 'you're attracting it to my place; run up the
road and draw it off.'"

"Just at that moment John Biggs, the blacksmith, come in from the
taproom, and as soon as he 'eard wot was the matter 'e took down Smith's
gun from behind the bar and said he was going out to look after the
wimmen and children.

"'Open the door,' he ses.

"He was trying to get out and the tramp outside was trying to get in,
but Smith held on to that door like a Briton. Then John Biggs lost 'is
temper, and he ups with the gun--Smith's own gun, mind you--and fetches
'im a bang over the 'ead with it. Smith fell down at once, and afore we
could 'elp ourselves the door was open, the tramp was inside, and John
Biggs was running up the road, shouting 'is hardest.

"We 'ad the door closed afore you could wink a'most, and then, while the
tramp lay in a corner 'aving brandy, Mrs. Smith got a bowl of water and a
sponge and knelt down bathing 'er husband's 'ead with it.

"'Did you see the tiger?' ses Bill Chambers.

"'See it?' ses the tramp, with a shiver. 'Oh, Lord!'

"He made signs for more brandy, and Henery Walker, wot was acting as
landlord, without being asked, gave it to 'im.

"'It chased me for over a mile,' ses the tramp; 'my 'eart's breaking.'

"He gave a groan and fainted right off. A terrible faint it was, too,
and for some time we thought 'ed never come round agin. First they
poured brandy down 'is throat, then gin, and then beer, and still 'e
didn't come round, but lay quiet with 'is eyes closed and a horrible
smile on 'is fa