ntly repulsed him, and replied:

"No, sir; I am an honest, and, I trust, and honorable man. My hand,
therefore, shall never touch that of a villain."

"A villain!--why, Mr. Folliard, these are hard and harsh words, and they
surprise me, indeed, as proceeding from your lips. May I beg, my friend,
that you will explain yourself?"

"I will, sir. How durst you take the liberty of sending one of your
cast-off strumpets to attend personally upon my pure and virtuous
daughter? For that insult I come this day to demand that satisfaction
which is due to the outraged feelings of my daughter--to my own also,
as her father and natural protector, and also as an Irish gentleman, who
will brook no insult either to his family or himself. I say, then, name
your time and place, and your weapon--sword or pistol, I don't care
which, I am ready."

"But, my good sir, there is some mystery here; I certainly engaged a
female of that name to attend on Miss Folliard, but most assuredly she
was a well-conducted person."

"What! Madam Herbert well conducted! Do you imagine, sir, that I am a
fool? Did she not admit that you debauched her?"

"It could not be, Mr. Folliard; I know nothing whatsoever about her,
except that she was daughter to one of my tenants, who is besides a
sergeant of dragoons."

"Ay, yes, sir," replied the squire sarcastically; "and I tell you it
was not for killing and eating the enemy that he was promoted to his
seirgeantship. But I see your manoeuvre, Sir Robert; you wish to shift
the conversation, and sleep in a whole skin. I say now, I have provided
myself with a friend, and I ask, will you fight?"

"And why not have sent your friend, Mr. Folliard, as is usual upon such
occasions?"

"Because he is knocked up, after a fit of drink, and I cannot be just so
cool, under such an insult, as to command patience to wait. My friend,
however, will attend us on the ground; but, I ask again, will you
fight?"

"Most assuredly not, sir; I am an enemy to duelling on principle; but
in your case I could not think of it, even if I were not. What! raise my
hand against the life of Helen's father!--no, sir, I'd sooner die than
do so. Besides, Mr. Folliard, I am, so to speak, not my own property,
but that of my King, my Government, and my country; and under these
circumstances not at liberty to dispose of my life, unless in their
quarrel."

"I see," replied the squire bitterly; "it is certainly an admirable
description of loyalty