d thus getting him out of the way of any
unpleasantness which might arise from his father's persecutions or those
of his clan. It was this which he was proposing to Harold, who at once
thought favorably of it--not because he wished to escape from the
public, he said, but because of the pay offered, and which seemed to him
far more than his services would be worth.

'You are a noble fellow, Billy,' he said. 'I'll think of the plan, and
let you know after I've seen Jerrie and Judge St. Claire.'

'A-all ri-right; he'll a-advise you to go,' Billy said, as they arose to
leave the car, followed by Peterkin, who had been engaged in a fierce
altercation with Tom, who had accused him of having struck Jerrie, and
threatened to have him arrested for assault and battery the moment they
reached Shannondale.

'Thunder and lightning and guns' old Peterkin exclaimed, while the
spittle flew from his mouth like the spray from Niagara. 'I assault and
batter Jerry Crawford!--a gal! What do you take me for, young man? I'm a
gentleman, I be, if I ain't a Tracy; and I never salted nor battered
nobody, and she'll tell you so herself. Heavens and earth! this is the
way 'twas,' and Peterkin shook from his head to his feet--for, like most
men who clamor so loudly for the law, he had a mortal terror of it for
himself, and Tom's threatening looks and words made him afraid. 'This is
how 'twas. I found her in the Tramp-House, and I was all-fired mad at
her about somethin'--I shan't tell what, for Bill would kill me; but I
pitched into her right and left; and, by gum, she pitched into me, so
that for a spell it was nip-and-tuck betwixt us; and, by George, if she
didn't order me out of the Tramp-House, and said it was her'n; and I'll
be dumbed if I don't believe she'd av put me out, too, body and bones,
if I hadn't gone. She was just like a tiger; and, I swan, I was kinder
feared on her, and backed out with a kinder flourish of my fist on that
darned old rotten table, which went all to smash; and that's all I know.
You don't call that 'sault and batter, do you?'

Tom could not say that he did, but he replied:

'That's your version of it. Jerrie may have another, and her friends
ain't going to have her abused by a chap like you; and my advice is that
you hold your tongue, both about her and Harold. It will he better for
you. Do you understand?'

'You bet!' Peterkin said, with a meaning nod, breathing a little more
freely as he caught sight of the