He was right. Mary had been at her table promptly that morning to make a beginning on the next number; Jack was down in the engine-room; Mr. Black was busy, and Mr. Bones was out, when a party of very red-faced men filed in, went through the front office, and climbed the stairs. "We'll show him!" said one. "It'll be a lesson he won't forget!" remarked another, fiercely. "He'll take it back, or there will be broken bones!" added another; and these spoke for the rest. They had sticks, and they tramped heavily as they marched to the "sanctum." The foremost opened the door, without knocking, and his voice was deep, threatening, and husky as he began: "Now, Mr. Editor--" "I'm the editor, sir. What do you wish of me?" [Illustration: _"I'm the Editor, sir."_] Mary Ogden stood before him, looking him straight in the face without a quiver. He was a big man; but, oddly enough, it occurred to him that Mary seemed larger than he was. "Bob!" exclaimed a harsh whisper behind him, "howld yer tongue! it's only a gir-rl! Don't ye say a har-rd word to the loikes o' her!" Other whispers and growls came from the hall, but the big man stood like a stone post for several seconds. "You're the editor?" he gasped. "Is old Murdoch dead,--or has he run away?" "He's at home, and ill," said Mary. "What is your errand?" "I keep a decent hotel, sir,--ma'am--madam--I do,--we all do,--it's the _Eagle_, you know,--and there's no kind of disorder,--and there was never any complaint in Mertonville--" "Howld on, Bob!" exclaimed the prompter behind him. "You're no good at all; coom along, b'ys. Be civil,--Mike Flaherty will never have it said he brought a shillalah to argy wid a colleen. I'm aff!" Away he went, stick and all, and the other five followed promptly, leaving Mary Ogden standing still in amazement. She was trying to collect her thoughts when Mr. Black marched in from the other room, followed by the two typesetters; and Mr. Bones tumbled up-stairs, out of breath. Mary had hardly any explanation to make about what Mr. Bones frantically described as "the riot," and she was inclined to laugh at it. Just then Mr. Murdoch himself came to the door. Jack stopped the engine, exclaiming, "Mr. Murdoch! you here?" "What is it? What is it?" he exclaimed. "I saw them go out. Did they break anything?" "Miss Ogden scared 'em off in no time," said Mr. Black.