"You murderous young villain!" he shrieked. "I'll kill you for that!"

Walter felt that he was in a dangerous position.

"Leave the room, please!" he said to Mrs. Gregory. "You will be in my way." She obeyed, for her champion had shown himself worthy to command, and Walter sprang to the other side of the table, placing it between him and his foe.

By this time the tramp had got ready for an attack. He dashed round the table after Walter, and finally succeeded, in spite of the boy's activity, in grasping him by the shoulder.

"Ah!" he said, with a deep sigh of content, "I've got you now. I'll pay you for that blow!"

Walter felt that he had never been in such a tight place before.

CHAPTER XV

THE EXCITEMENT DEEPENS

Walter was fortunate enough not to lose his head under any circ.u.mstances. He noticed that his opponent held him by his right hand, and it was his right arm which had been lamed. Naturally, therefore, it had lost some of its strength. This was his opportunity.

With a sudden twist he wriggled out of the giant's grasp, and, understanding that it was dangerous to be at too close quarters, he threw open the outer door and dashed into the yard.

Whether this would, on the whole, have helped him, was uncertain, as the tramp could probably outrun him, but just in the nick of time a team appeared, driven by a young man, perhaps twenty-five, of remarkable size. Hiram Nutt was six feet six inches in height, the tallest man in the county, and he was as athletic as he was tall. He tipped the scales at two hundred and ten pounds, and was famous for his feats of strength. He was a farmer's son and lived at Elm Bank.

When he saw Walter dash out of the house, pursued by an ill-looking tramp, he thought it high time to interfere.

"What's up?" he demanded, still retaining his seat in the wagon.

"None of your business!" retorted the tramp, too angry to be prudent, "The kid's been impudent, and I'm going to pound him to a jelly."

Meanwhile, Walter was leading the tramp a chase round the wagon, narrowly escaping seizure.

"Help me!" exclaimed Walter, panting.

"If you do, I'll lay you out!" exclaimed the pursuer, who had been too much occupied to notice the formidable size of the young man in the wagon.

Hiram Nutt smiled--a smile of conscious strength.

"Jump in the wagon, boy!" he said. "I'll take care of you."

Walter obeyed directions, and the tramp tried to follow him.

But in an instant Hiram had risen to his full height and, leaping to the ground, hurried to the rear of the vehicle and caught hold of the tramp. The latter tried to resist, but he was like a child in the grasp of a man. He looked up in amazement, for he was proud of his strength.

"What museum did you escape from, you--monster?" he panted.

Hiram laughed.

"Never mind," he said. "It's well I'm here. Now, boy, who is this man?"

"I found him in that house, ready to strike down the lady who lives there because she would not give him what money she had."

Hiram Nutt's brows contracted.

"Why, you thieving scoundrel!" he cried, vigorously shaking his captive, "you dared to threaten Mrs. Gregory? Did he hurt the lady?"

he added anxiously.

"No; I heard her cry for help and rushed in. Then he turned upon me."

"He might have killed you!"

"I wish I had!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the tramp, with a scowl.

"Where is Mrs. Gregory now?"

"I told her to go upstairs."

Just then the lady, who from an upper window had observed the discomfiture and capture of her enemy, came out.

"Oh, Mr. Nutt," she exclaimed, "I am so glad you came along! I was afraid this brave boy would get hurt."

"It isn't he that will get hurt now," said Nutt, significantly. "How came this fellow in your house?"

"He came in half an hour ago and asked for food."

"And you gave it to him?"

"Yes; I got ready a lunch for him and made him some tea, though he wanted liquor."

"And this was the way of repaying the favor?"

"He had heard in some way that my husband brought home some money last evening and he demanded it. I wish, Mr. Nutt, you would take charge of it till my husband comes home. I don't dare to have it in the house."

"It won't be necessary, for there comes your husband."

It was true. Ephraim Gregory turned the corner of the street, and paused in surprise at the spectacle before him.

"What's the matter, Lucy?" he asked.

She briefly explained.

"I am so glad you are at home," she sighed. "But how do you happen to come so early?"

"I think it was a presentiment of evil. I thought of the money I had left with you, and it occurred to me that it might expose you to danger. So I got leave of absence and took an early train for Elm Bank." "What shall I do with this fellow, Mr. Gregory?" asked Hiram.

"I'll go into the house and get a rope to tie him. Then we'll take him to the lock-up."

"Let me go!" said the tramp, uneasily. "I was only joking."