.
He will beat me."

The woman's sympathies were quickly enlisted. She had a warm heart, and
was always ready to give aid to the oppressed.

"Whist, darlint, run upstairs, and hide under the bed. I'll send him off
wid a flea in his ear, whoever he is."

Phil was quick to take the hint. He ran upstairs, and concealed himself
as directed. While he was doing it, the lower door, which he had shut,
was opened by Pietro. He was about to rush into the house, but the
muscular form of Phil's friend stood in his way.

"Out wid ye!" said she, flourishing a broom, which she had snatched up.
"Is that the way you inter a dacint woman's house, ye spalpeen!"

"I want my brother," said Pietro, drawing back a little before the
amazon who disputed his passage.

"Go and find him, thin!" said Bridget McGuire, "and kape out of my
house."

"But he is here," said Pietro, angrily; "I saw him come in."

"Then, one of the family is enough," said Bridget. "I don't want
another. Lave here wid you!"

"Give me my brother, then!" said Pietro, provoked.

"I don't know anything of your brother. If he looks like you, he's a
beauty, sure," returned Mrs. McGuire.

"Will you let me look for him?"

"Faith and I won't. You may call him if you plase."

Pietro knew that this would do very little good, but there seemed
nothing else to do.

"Filippo!" he called; "come here. The padrone has sent for you."

"What was ye sayin'?" demanded Bridget not comprehending the Italian.

"I told my brother to come."

"Then you can go out and wait for him," said she. "I don't want you in
the house."

Pietro was very angry. He suspected that Phil was in the rear room, and
was anxious to search for him. But Bridget McGuire was in the way--no
light, delicate woman, but at least forty pounds heavier than Pietro.
Moreover, she was armed with a broom, and seemed quite ready to use it.
Phil was fortunate in obtaining so able a protector. Pietro looked at
her, and had a vague thought of running by her, and dragging Phil out if
he found him. But Bridget was planted so squarely in his path that this
course did not seem very practicable.

"Will you give me my brother?" demanded Pietro, forced to use words
where he would willingly have used blows.

"I haven't got your brother."

"He is in this house."

"Thin he may stay here, but you shan't," said Bridget, and she made a
sudden demonstration with the broom, of so threatening a character
that Pietro hastily ba