rs, my word has been doubted; my good faith maligned; my
character for truth and veracity questioned."

"Yes, I know all that very well; but answer me one question, captain.
Seriously and solemnly, were you at the battle of Magenta?"

"I decline to answer one who doubts my veracity. If I answered you in the
affirmative, you would not believe me."

"I don't think I should; but, if you should answer me in the negative, I
should have full faith in your reply."

"I cannot answer on those terms. Somers, I am offended. I don't know but
that I am in duty bound to challenge you. Just after the battle of
Magenta, I felt compelled to challenge a young officer who cast an
imputation upon my word. We fought, and he fell. His brother challenged
me then, and I had to put a bullet through his head. The family were
Corsicans, I believe; and one after another challenged me, till they got
down to fifth cousins; and I laid out fifteen of them--I think it was
fifteen; I don't remember the exact number, but I could tell by referring
to my diary. You are so precise and particular, that I want to give you
the facts just as they are."

"You haven't the diary with you, I suppose?"

"Of course not; I couldn't carry a volume like that around with me. I
only mention this circumstance to show you the sad results which
sometimes follow in the wake of a duel."

"But I'm not a Corsican; and I don't think you need fear any such results
in my case, if you should conclude to challenge me," answered Somers with
abundant good nature.

"Now, seriously and solemnly, Somers, this doubting a comrade's word is a
vicious habit. It shows that you have no confidence in what I say."

"That is precisely the truth; but I think you are responsible for the
fact, not I. If you would only tell the truth----"

"Tell the truth! My dear fellow, you keep making the matter worse,
instead of better."

"So do you; for, instead of abandoning your bad habit, you tell me an
absurd story about killing fifteen men in a series of duels!"

"I told you I couldn't fix the exact number. You are too critical by
half."

"I am not particular about the number; for I don't believe you killed
even a single person in a duel. You are too good a fellow to do anything
of the sort."

"Somers, I have been laboring to keep my temper; but I am afraid you will
make me mad, if you keep on. I think we had better suspend this
conversation before it leads to any unhappy results;" and the c