out his toledo, and sprang at Mrs. Catherine.

"Help! murder! thieves!" shrieked she. "Save me, Mr. Trippet, save
me!" and she placed that gentleman between herself and the Count,
and then made for the door of the bedroom, and gained it, and bolted
it.

"Out of the way, Trippet," roared the Count--"out of the way, you
drunken beast! I'll murder her, I will--I'll have the devil's
life." And here he gave a swinging cut at Mr. Trippet's sword: it
sent the weapon whirling clean out of his hand, and through a window
into the street.

"Take my life, then," said Mr. Trippet: "I'm drunk, but I'm a man,
and, damme! will never say die."

"I don't want your life, you stupid fool. Hark you, Trippet, wake
and be sober, if you can. That woman has heard of my marriage with
Miss Dripping."

"Twenty thousand pound," ejaculated Trippet.

"She has been jealous, I tell you, and POISONED us. She has put
laudanum into the punch."

"What, in MY punch?" said Trippet, growing quite sober and losing
his courage. "O Lord! O Lord!"

"Don't stand howling there, but run for a doctor; 'tis our only
chance." And away ran Mr. Trippet, as if the deuce were at his