t had now gone home resolved in his righteous mind to
bring things to a conclusion. It matters little in the telling of our
story to know what lies Dick did in truth impute to his friend; but
they were of a nature to fill his mind with righteous wrath and to
produce from him the eloquence above described.

Sir Francis, whose vanity had been charmed by the letter which he
kept in his pocket, had already made up his mind to part with Dick.
But Dick's words as now spoken left him no alternative. It was a
question with him whether he could not so part with him as to inflict
some further punishment. "Why, Dick," he said smiling, "you have
broken out quite in a new place."

"I know nothing about that."

"You must have been with the Bishop and taken a lesson in preaching.
I never heard you come out so strong before."

"I wish you'd heard what some of those men at Perth said about you."

"And how you answered them as my friend."

"As far as I remember I didn't say much myself. What I did say
certainly was not in your favour. But I was hardest on that sweet
young lady with the Italian name. You won't mind that because you and
she are two, now."

"Can you tell me, Ross, how long you have been eating my bread?"

"I suppose I could."

"Or how much you have drank of my wine?"

"I haven't made a calculation of that nature. It isn't usual."

"For shooting here, how much have you ever contributed?"

"When I shoot I contribute nothing. All the world understands that."

"How much money do you owe me?"

"I owe you nothing that I've ever promised to pay."

"And now you think it a sign of a fine gentleman to go and talk
openly at a club about matters which you have heard from me in
confidence! I don't. I think it a very--"

"A very what, Sir Francis? I have not done as you allege. But you
were going to observe a very--; what was it?" It must be here
explained that Dick Ross was not a man who feared many things; but
that Sir Francis feared much. Dick had little to lose by a row,
whereas the Baronet would be injured. The Baronet therefore declined
to fill in the epithet which he had omitted. He knew from former
experience what Dick would and what he would not bear.

"I don't choose to descend to Billingsgate," said Sir Francis. "I
have my own ideas as to your conduct."

"Very gentlemanlike, isn't it?" said Dick, with a smile, meaning
thereby to impute it to Sir Francis as cowardice that he was
unwilling to say the rever