dly as
ever. "If you trip me we shall both break our blessed necks."

"How dare you!" shrieked the voice of the captive, now growing hoarse.
"I'll give you in charge the minute I get downstairs! Ugly beast, I'll
give you all in charge!"

The descent began. But that Polly was slightly made, a man of Gammon's
physique would have found it impossible to carry her down the stairs;
as it was he soon began puffing and groaning. In spite of the risk
Polly still struggled--two stair-railings were wrenched away on the
first flight. Then appeared Mr. and Mrs. Cheeseman, red and perspiring
with muffled laughter.

"You may laugh, you wretches!" Polly shrieked. "I'll give you all in
charge, see if I don't. You've all took part in an assault--see what
you'll get for it!"

After that she no longer resisted, except for an occasional kick on her
bearer's shins. They reached the ground floor; they tottered into the
parlour; close upon them followed Mrs. Bubb and Mrs. Clover. Set upon
her feet, Polly seemed for a moment about to rush to the window; a
second thought led her to the mirror over the mantelpiece, where,
fiercely eyeing the reflected group behind her, she made shift to
smooth her hair and arrange her dress. Gammon had sunk upon a chair and
was mopping his forehead. He had suffered far more than Polly in the
encounter, and looked indeed, with wild hair, scratched face, burst
collar, loose necktie, a startling object.

"Now, then!" the girl moved towards him, fists clenched, as if to renew
hostilities. "What d'you mean by this? Just you tell me what you mean
by it."

"As soon as I can get breath, my dear. I meant to bring you down to
speak to your aunt, and I've done it--see?"

"I'm ashamed of you, Mr. Gammon," exclaimed Mrs. Clover severely. "I
never thought you would go so far as this."

"Ashamed of him, are you?" shrieked the girl, turning furiously upon
her relative. "Be ashamed of yourself! What do you call yourself, eh? A
respectable woman? And you look on while your own niece is treated in
this way. Why, a costermonger's wife wouldn't disgrace herself so. No
wonder your 'usband run away from you!"

"Oh, this low, vulgar, horrid girl!" cried her aunt in a revulsion of
feeling. "How she can be any relative of mine I'm sure I don't know."

"Ugh! you nasty, ungrateful young woman, you!" chimed in Mrs. Bubb. "To
speak to your kind awnt like that, as has been taking your part when
I'm sure I wouldn't 'a done! I'd lik