ded by two policemen walking
off with Tom between them, and by the Colonel following in a cab,
after having administered divers shillings to the amateur attendants.
Though the journey in the cab did not occupy above five minutes, it
sufficed to enable him to determine what step he should take when he
found himself before the night officers of the watch.

When he found himself in the presence of the night officer he had
considerable difficulty in carrying out his purpose. That Tom
should be locked up for the night, and be brought before the police
magistrate next morning to answer for the outrage he had committed,
seemed to the officers to be a matter of course. It was long before
the Colonel could persuade the officer that this little matter
between him and Mr. Tringle was a private affair, of which he at
least wished to take no further notice. "No doubt," he said, "he had
received a blow on his chest, but it had not hurt him in the least."

"'E 'it the gen'leman with all his might and main," said the
policeman.

"It is quite a private affair," said the Colonel. "My name is Colonel
Stubbs; here is my card. Sir ---- is a particular friend of mine."
Here he named a pundit of the peace, very high in the estimation of
all policemen. "If you will let the gentleman come away with me I
will be responsible for him to-morrow, if it should be necessary
to take any further step in the matter." This he said very eagerly,
and with all the authority which he knew how to use. Tom, in the
meantime, stood perfectly motionless, with his arms folded akimbo on
his breast, wet through, muddy, still tipsy, a sight miserable to
behold.

The card and the Colonel's own name, and the name of the pundit of
the peace together, had their effect, and after a while Tom was
dismissed in the Colonel's care. The conclusion of the evening's
affair was, for the moment, one which Tom found very hard to bear. It
would have been better for him to have been dragged off to a cell,
and there to have been left to his miserable solitude. But as he went
down through the narrow ways leading from the police-office out into
the main street he felt that he was altogether debarred from making
any further attack upon his protector. He could not strike him again,
as he might have done had he escaped from the police by his own
resources. His own enemy had saved him from durance, and he could
not, therefore, turn again upon his enemy.

"In heaven's name, my dear fel