"I just did, my lad; so that as soon as they'd passed George here, him giving up the girl's ticket, I wasn't a bit surprised to see a great stout fellow in a velveteen jacket and a low-crowned hat step right in front of 'em just as my gent had called up a cab, lay one hand on the girl's arm, and the other on the gent's breast, and he says, in a rough, country sort o' way: `Here, I want you.'" "Just like a detective," said the clerk. "Not a bit, my lad--not a bit," said the guard. "Reg'lar bluff gamekeeper sort of chap, who looked as if he wouldn't stand any nonsense; and as soon as she saw him, the girl gives a little cry, and looks as if she'd drop, while my gent begins to bluster.--`Stand aside, fellow,' he says. `How dare you! Stand back!' The big bluff fellow seemed so staggered by the gent's way, that for just about a moment he was checked. Then he takes one step forward, and look here--he does so." "Oh!" shouted the clerk, for the guard brought down one muscular hand sharply upon his shoulder and gripped him tightly. "Lor' bless you, my lad! that's nothing to it. He gripped that gent's shoulder so that you a'most heard his collar-bone crack; and he turned yellow and gashly like, as the other says to him with a growl as savage as a bear, `You want to wed my sister, eh? Well, you shall. I won't leave you till you do.'" "That was business and no mistake," said the other guard; "wasn't it?" "Ay, and he meant business too," continued the first speaker, "for the gent began to bluster, and say, `How dare you!' and `I'll give you in charge;' and then he calls for a policeman; and then `Tak' howd o' my sister,' says the big fellow." "Ay, that was it," said the ticket-collector. "`Tak' howd,' just like a Yorkshireman." "George there catches the girl, as was half-fainting; and as there was getting quite a crowd now, the bluff fellow tightens his grip, brings Mr Gent down on his knees, and gives him such a thrashing with a stout ash-stick as would have half killed him, if we hadn't interfered; and Thompson come up and outs with his book. `Here,' he says, just like one of the regular force; `I'll take the charge.'" "When," said the second guard, "up jumps my gentleman, and made the cleanest run for it, dodging through the crowd, and out through the ticket-office, you ever saw." "Ay," said the ticket-collector; "and he run round so as to get to the waterside, and over Charing Cross Bridge." "And did Thompson take up the countryman?" "No," said the guard. "He gave his name out straightforward--William Cressy, Rayford, Berks. `I'm there when I'm wanted,' he says. `This here's my sister as that chap was stealing away, and I've thrashed him, and I'll do it again if ever we meets.'" "And then the crowd gave a cheer," said the ticket-collector. "And Thompson put his book in his pocket," said the second guard.