, 1861-12-19

| made q fearful blunder IN DetfaylnS my secIel
before was clear Of the premises, and the words
had scarcely passed my lips before was aware
Of nv mistake. With the look Of detected de-
mon Hyams confronted US
"Ilo, hO this is q conspiracy, tp But you
have reckoned without your host. Ho there
Jonathan-ASahel! close the doors, ring the
great bell, and let no man pass on your lives
And now let's sec what stuff you are made of"
So saving, the ruiian drew q life-preserver
from his pocket, and struck furiously at my
head before had time to guard myself But
Quick as he was, Rogers Of ours was quicker.
With his left hand he Taught the arm Of hyams
as the blow descended, whilst with the right be
dealt him fearful blow on the temple, which
made the Hebrew stagger. But Hyams, amongst
his other accomplishments had practised in the
ring. He recovered himself almost Immediately,
and rushed upon Rogers. Several heavy hits
were interchanged; and there is no saying how
the combat might have terminated, but for the
presence Of mind Of the Latchley. That gifted
female, superior to the weakness Of her sex,
caught up the fe-presorver from the ground, and
applied It so effectually to the back Of Hyams'
skull that he dropped like an OK in the slaughter
house. Meanwhile the alarm bell was ringing
women screamed at the windows, from which also
several crazy-looking men were gesticulating; and
three or four truculent Israelites were rushing
through the courtyard. The whole Agapedome
was in an uproar.
"Keep together and fear nothingi" cried Ro-
gers. 81 never stir on these kind Of expeditions
without my pistols. Smith-gIve your arm tO
Miss Latchley, who has behaved like the heroine
Of Saragossa; and now let US see if any Of these
scoundrels will venture to dispute our way !"
But for the firearms which Rogers carried,
suspect our egress would have been disputed.
| Jonathan and Asahel red-headcd rufiians both,
stood ready with iron bars In their hands to OPP
pose our exit; but glimpse Of the bright gilt
| tering barrel caused them to change their pur-
pose. Rogers commanded them, on pain Of in
slant death, to open the door. They obeyed
and we emerged from the Agapedome as joyfully
as the lthacans from the cave Of Polyphemus.
Fortunately the chaise was still in waiting: We
assisted Miss Latchley in, and drove of, as fast
as the horses could galop, to Southampton. ff
CHAPTER ". l,4f a-. sV
ais It possible they can have murdered himp
said Jack. L..y.
"That, I think" said I, "ishighly improbable
| I rather imagine that he has refused 10 conform
to some Of the rules Of the association. and has
been committed to the custody Of Messrs. Jona-
than and AsaheL" L..,. s,r- .l,,,
"shail I ask LaviniaS ?" said Rogers. %Idare-
say she would tell the all about Il. pay '''s slA"s
u,
thing her nerves must be shaken" sH .gfl
"Not q whit Of them" replied Rogers. ~
saw no symptom Of nerves about her She was
as cool as q cucumber when she hOorcd that in
fernal jew; and 10 she should be little agitated
| or so, she is calming herself at this moment with
glass Of brandy and water. mixed i for her.
Do YOU know she's capital fellow, only It's
pity she's so very plain"
. / wish the police would arTivelN said Jack.
"We have really not q minute to lose. Poor
unc'e Peterl ] devOutly trust this may be the
last Of his freaks" ..... I'D
"Thope 50, too, Jack, for your sake: II tis no
joke Tummaging bin out Of such company. But
for Rogers, there, we should all Of rs have been
as dead as picked herrings." a.., .sil1.- .5
~ bear charmed life," said Rogers Re-
member, belong to the Immortals. But there
come the blue-coAts in couple ofcarriages. Cad,
Wilkinson, wish Il were our luck 70 storm the
| AgapedOme with score Of our own fellowsW
During our drive, Rogers enlightened US as to
his encounter with the Latchley. II appeared
that he had bestowed considerable attention TO
our conversation in London and that, When he
hurried TO the drawing.rOOm in the Agapedome,
as already related, he thought he recognized the
Latchley at once, in the midst Of halfa-dozen
more juvenile and blooming sisters. :. s...,
"Of course, I never read q word OF the wo
mans works." said Rogers, "and hope never
shall: but know that female vanity will stand
any amount Of butter. So bolted into the room,
without caring for the rest-though, BY the way,
there was one little girl with fair hair and blue
ewes. who. hone, has not leit the Agapedome---
drew myself al the feet Of LAvina; declared that
/ was A Young nobleman, enamored Of her writ
mos who was resolved TO force my way through
iron bars to gain glimpse Of the bright original;
and. upon the whole, think you must allow that
managed matters rather successfully" There
could be but one opinion as to that. IL fact with
GU, Rogers, the whole scheme must have miscar.
ried. Il was Kellerman's charge, unexpected and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS allugvther triumphant. On
arriving Al the A0apedonSe we found the door open
| - ,o..l ~. s.,,t. o;,.rrg round thu vatetyav