crockery and scattered viands.

For a moment the strange inebriate stood swaying over the prostrate girl,
making a grave, drunken effort to grasp the situation, then the Italian
proprietress came into the room humming a cheerful strain, and carrying a
burden of fried sausages. She beheld the horror, uttered a piercing
scream, and dashed up the narrow stairs. Nickie went up the stairs after
her, anxious to explain. The horrified people pressing at the front door
and the windows saw him pass out of sight. There was now a large, excited
crowd in the street. All sorts of rumours were afloat. Already it was
stated that the mighty gorilla had killed three men and eaten half a
horse. Two policemen were busy beating back the crowd, and collecting
evidence from excited onlookers who had seen nothing.

At this stage, Professor Thunder dashed through the assemblage. The
Professor was in an agitated frame of mind.

"What is it?" he cried. "Has anyone seen a Missin' Link--a dark brown
Missin' Link?"

Ten persons explained at once.

"He's in there now," cried a bewildered cabman, pointing to the
eating-house. "He's ate er girl, an' he's out after the missus with a
club."

"'T went up them stairs," cried a trembling woman.

Yells from the crowd in the road brought the people surging into the
middle of the street. Mahdi had opened a front window, and stepped out on