The disturbed lodger flung open his door and shouted objurgations.

From below sounded the shrill alarm of Mrs.Bubb, from elsewhere the anxious outcries of Mrs.Cheeseman and her husband.
Amid all this Greenacre and his quondam friend somehow reached the foot of the stairs, where the darkness that enveloped their struggle was all at once dispersed by a candle in the hand of Mrs.Bubb.
"Don't alarm yourself," shouted Gammon cheerily, "I'm only kicking this fellow out.

No one hurt." "Well, Mr.Gammon, I do think--" But the landlady's protest was cut short by a loud slamming of the house-door.
"It's nothing," said the man of commerce, breathing hard.

"Very sorry to have disturbed you all.

It shan't happen again.