bed. Now, I haven't quite made up my mind which of you would be the
most to my taste; but if one of you comes a step further, I'll eat
HIM. So, away with you." And he jerked the coin to a considerable
distance. There was a yell and a scramble; and Cashel and Lydia
pursued their way unattended.

Lydia had taken advantage of the dispersion of the boys to detach
herself from Cashel's arm. She now said, speaking to him for the
first time since she had interceded for Teddy,

"I am sorry to have given you so much trouble, Mr. Cashel Byron.
Thank you for interfering to protect me; but I was in no real
danger. I would gladly have borne with a few rough words for the
sake of avoiding a disturbance."

"There!" cried Cashel. "I knew it. You'd a deal rather I had minded
my own business and not interfered. You're sorry for the poor fellow
I treated so badly; ain't you now? That's a woman all over."

"I have not said one of these things."

"Well, I don't see what else you mean. It's no pleasure to me to
fight chance men in the streets for nothing: I don't get my living
that way. And now that I have done it for your sake, you as good as
tell me I ought to have kept myself quiet."

"Perhaps I am wrong. I hardly understand what passed. You seemed to
drop from the clouds."

"Aha! You were glad when you found me at your elbow, in spite of