“Let him alone!” Henry shot to his full height, galvanised into hysterical delight. Glasses or no glasses, he knew that for the voice of Rouse. He was saved. Coles spun on his heel. Two forms were bearing down upon him out of the gloom, and he prepared for battle. He felt brave and bold, if a trifle uncertain upon his feet. He shot his cuffs and stretched out both hands ready to grasp these intruders in a bear-like hug. His face was flushed and excited, his temper was nearing boiling point. After a struggle he found his voice. “Who is that?” he demanded. “Who’s that? Come out and face me here! Come out from under those trees, you creepy, crawly spies. Come out into the open!” They came slowly towards him. As they drew near to Coles he recognised them suddenly, and his voice cracked in a scream of anger. “W—what! _YOU!_ Was it _you_ sent this beastly little creature shinning up that drain-pipe? He’s spying for _you_, is he? Well, of all the rotten, low-down swine! D—d—d’you mean to say——” “The only thing I mean to say,” said Rouse, “is that I perceive you to be tight.” Coles bounded forward. His words were not coherent. He only babbled. And when he could babble no more he struck out. “_That’s_ not where I am,” said Rouse. “You want to aim _here_.” Coles turned dazedly, swinging both fists. For a while they watched him with keen interest. Finally, as he spun round for the fifth time, Terence reached out and pushed him over. “It’s the cold air doing it,” said Rouse, peering at him distastefully. “I should advise you to go in.” Next moment Coles had scrambled to his feet again and was staring up at his window and shouting for assistance. “Hi! Hi! Come down here. There’s a gang of them and they’re setting about me!” Henry turned wretchedly to Rouse. “My glasses,” said he. “Did you see them fall? D’you know where they are? I should very much like the frames. I’ll have to find the frames.” Rouse made a few light passes over his hand, drew his cap from his head and held it over his outstretched hand. At last he slowly raised it by the tassel. The frames lay in his open palm. “There they are, sir,” said he. “The same that you saw this gentleman throw into the audience.... Am I right, sir?” He turned sharply. There had come a sudden clatter of feet upon the stairs of Morley’s and a handful of strangely excited young men were tumbling pell-mell out of the door. Nobody had noticed Coles. He appeared to have been merely waiting for aid. Yet at the sound of approaching friends he took courage again. He fixed Rouse with a watery eye, then he leaped viciously upon him from behind. His feet were intertwined with Rouse’s legs. There was a short sharp struggle. Next moment Rouse was free and had turned, judged his distance, and struck accurately and with full force. The blow took Coles on the cheek-bone and was altogether too much for him. He threw up his hands, spun sideways and fell on his back. And as he lay he moaned softly to himself: