than Lucy Markham's devoted
admirer, the drysalter."

~470~~ "What! the gentleman whose business we settled so nicely the day
before yesterday? Freddy Coleman's dreaded rival?"

"Eh? yes, the very identical, and an uncommon good little follow he
is too, as men go, I can tell you. Well, you may suppose I was puzzled
enough to find out what he could want with me, and was casting about for
something to say to him, when he makes a sort of a bow, and begins:--

"'The Honourable George Lawless, I believe?'

"'The same, sir, at your service,' replies I, giving a stamp with my
foot to get my boot on.

"'May I beg the favour of five minutes' private conversation with you?'

"'Eh? oh yes, certainly,' says I. 'Get out of this, you inquisitive
little imp of darkness, and tell Reynolds to tie the colt up to the
pillar-reins, and let him champ the bit till I come down; that's the way
to bring him to a mouth;' and, hastening Shrimp's departure by throwing
the slippers at his head, I continued, 'Now, sir, I'm your man; what's
the row, eh?'

"'A-hem! yes, sir, really it is somewhat a peculiar--that is a
disagreeable business. I had thought of getting a friend to call upon
you.'

"'A friend, eh? oh! I see the move now--pistols for two, and coffee
for four; invite a couple of friends to make arrangements for getting
a bullet put into you in the most gentlemanly way possible, and call it
_receiving satisfaction_,--very satisfactory, certainly. Well, sir, you
shall soon have my answer: no man can call George Lawless a coward; if
he did, he'd soon find his eyesight obscured, and a marked alteration in
the general outline of his features; but I never have fought a duel, and
I never mean to fight one. If I've smashed your panels, or done you any
injury, I am willing to pay for repairs, and make as much apology as one
man has any right to expect from another; or, if it will be a greater
ease to your mind, we'll off coats, ring for Shrimp and Harry Oaklands'
boy to see fair play, and have it out on the spot, all snug and
comfortable; but no pistoling work, thank ye.'

"Well, the little chap didn't seem to take at all kindly to the notion,
though, as I fancied he wasn't much of a bruiser, I offered to tie my
right hand behind me, and fight him with my left, but it was clearly
no go; so I thought I'd better hold my tongue, and leave him to explain
himself. After dodging about the bush for some time, he began to get the
steam up a littl