uth with
rage, he sprang to his feet and renewed the attack. He attempted to
throw his arms round the waist of Jasper and throw him. Had his tactics
been successful, probably Jasper would have been borne to the earth by
the superior weight of his opponent. But here, again, he was prepared.
He stepped back and received Thorne with a blow on his breast, so firmly
planted that he staggered again.

By this time he had lost all control of himself and was thoroughly under
the dominion of passion. He "pitched into" Jasper, trying to get in a
blow wherever he could, and in so doing exposed himself to the skilful
blows of his slighter foe, who had some knowledge of boxing, while
Thorne had none whatever.

Finally Thorne was stretched on his back, not immediately to rise.

"Have you had enough?" asked Jasper, bending over him.

"I'll kill you!" shrieked Thorne.

"Wail till you are able," said Jasper.

Thorne struggled to rise. Jasper held him down forcibly.

"You will stay there till you promise to let Cameron alone," he said.

"I won't promise!"

"Then you'll stay where you are."

But at that moment a small boy came across the field from the school.

"Thorne is wanted," he said. "There's a lady to see him."

"You can rise, then," said Jasper.

Thorne rose sullenly, and without a word strode toward the large, square
building, with an extended wing, which was used for the boarding-school.

Little Cameron seized Jasper's hand and kissed it.

"How brave you are!" he said. "How much I thank you!"

"Oh, it's nothing," said Jasper, modestly. "You just send for me when
you're in trouble, Cameron. I won't let him hurt you."

CHAPTER II.

STRANGE NEWS.

Entering the house, Thorne reported at the doctor's study. His flushed
appearance attracted the teacher's attention.

"What's the matter, Thorne?" he asked.

"The new boy pitched into me and I licked him," said Thorne.

But his sullen manner was so unlike that of a victor that the doctor
shrewdly suspected that his statement was not wholly correct.

"What was the quarrel about?" he asked.

"We were playing ball," said Thorne, evasively.

"I will inquire into it. At present you are wanted in the parlor."

So Thorne left the presence of the principal and entered the opposite
room. A lady, seated on a sofa, arose quickly, and advanced to meet him.
She kissed the boy's cheek, to which he submitted without manifesting
any responsive feeling.

"How long