“Now, ladies and gentlemen, be in time, be in time! there be no time to lose! we be just a-goin’ to commence! The mysterious Lady of the North and the hemmernent Wizard--the greatest wonder in Europe! The wonderful basket trick, or the mysterious secret, is pronounced by all who ’ave seen it to be the greatest feat----” There is no knowing how much more the speaker would have said concerning the marvels of this famous exhibition had he not been interrupted by three terrible screams, one following the other in rapid and startling succession, and uttered by a stout woman in the crowd, who was looking up at Dibble and fighting the air above her head with two very short arms in a most alarming manner. “Oh, here’s a lark--the old woman’s drunk,” said a boy, throwing his hat up into the drizzly, mizzly air. “Pat her on the back,” said an excited woman with a baby in her arms. “Let me alone--let me alone!” at length Mrs. Dibble exclaimed, beating her way through the crowd, and mounting the Temple steps amidst roars of laughter and shouts of applause. The gentleman with the whip became suddenly very much agitated, and when he saw the woman approaching the platform, he fairly turned round and bolted into the Temple. Seeing this, a crowd rushed up after the old lady; but “Christabel,” the showman’s daughter, seized the whip which Dibble had dropped, called “Father” lustily, and began to defend the pass. Digby Martin appeared in his shirt-sleeves, and in an instant struck a splendid fighting attitude in face of the intruders, which caused a number of them to change their minds, and produced from others sundry coppers which entitled them to admission. When they were inside, Paul amongst the number, they saw a gorgeous array of tinselled cups and vases arranged on a black velvet dais, with a shimmering wheel revolving in the background, Mr. Dibble leaning over the stout woman and calling frantically for somebody to bring him some water, whilst the renowned Momus was jumping round the pair and barking in a most unmilitary fashion. Before there was time for Dibble’s calls for water to receive any attention, Mrs. Dibble looked up and requested Thomas, “dear Thomas,” to conduct her to a private room, at which there were renewed shouts of laughter. Paul Somerton was fain to keep in the background, for he was getting rather ashamed of the unexpected turn which affairs were taking. Dibble said a few hurried words to the showman, and then, taking Mrs. Dibble by the arm, disappeared at the side-door.