Peace, therefore, made for his own apartments upstairs.
Bessie Dalton, however, chose to remain in the parlour to defend her friend, Mrs. Bristow, or Sophy, as she called her.
The policeman, who was a very efficient and worthy member of the force, gave the inebriate a long lecture. He was well acquainted with the character of the latter, as disturbances and scenes of violence were unhappily but too frequent.
After the departure of Peace, Bristow toned down.
He said to the constable that he had been a little hasty—had been, in fact, worried about one or two matters within the last few days; but that he was sorry he had lost his temper. He could see it all now as plainly as a book; still, at the same time, he declared “that he was not going to stand any more of that fellow’s cheek.”
Of course he alluded to Peace, from whose blow he was still smarting. Indeed, one of his eyes was blackened, although probably he was not aware of this at present.
The policeman, after a few more words of warning, left the two women and Bristow to settle their differences as best they could.
Soon after this Bristow went to bed, and in a few minutes was sleeping soundly.
The house was quiet for the remainder of the night.