Deptford
yesterday morning," he began hesitatingly. "After sending a messenger on
business in which I was deeply interested, I came to the Old Swan to get
a bite to eat and to find a bed. While waiting in the tap-room for my
dinner, I recognized Nelly's laugh and went into the private dining room
to see her, hoping that she might drop a word concerning another person.
I should not have gone to see her, for while in France I had heard from
De Grammont, with whom I have had some correspondence, that I was out of
favor with the king and that Crofts had been trying to fix on me the
guilt of a crime which he himself committed.

"Grammont wrote me, also, of the triumphs of Mistress Jennings, the new
beauty of the court, but I paid little heed to the gossip, though I
confess I was thrown into great fear by what he wrote about her. I knew
also that the king would help Crofts make trouble for me, so I felt it
was just as well that my presence in London should remain unknown. But I
did go in to see Nelly, and, much to my surprise, found the other
person."

It was to my surprise, also, but I said only: "Yes, yes, George. Your
story is growing interesting. Proceed!"

After a moment, he continued: "Nelly offered to present me to the other
person, whom she designated as 'the king's new favorite.' Naturally I
said that I already had the honor of knowing Mistress Jennings. Then your
cousin looked up to me and remarked calmly that I was mistaken; that I
did not have the honor of knowing her, nor she the humiliation of knowing
me. So I made my bow, went back to the taproom, and in a moment the fight
occurred, of which you already know."

"But what has all this to do with your grievance against me?" I asked.

He turned his face away from me, looked out the window for a minute or
two, and answered: "These are my causes of offence, Baron Clyde. You have
brought your cousin, your own flesh and blood, to Whitehall to sell her
to the king, and--"

"That is a lie, Hamilton!" I cried, springing to my feet, "and, by God,
you shall answer for it as soon as you are able to hold a sword!"

"I shall be very willing," he returned, though it was evident he was
somewhat cooled by my anger. "But since you would know the cause of my
ill-feeling, sit down and hear what I have to say."

I resumed my chair, and he continued: "I can see no reason for your
cousin's strange aversion to me save that you have used well the time of
my absence in traducing