f the O'Sullivans had been brought face to face
together, and he was alone, without a friend within call of him;
unless his tenant, who as he could now see had intended to give him
warning, would interfere further in his defense. And of this he knew
Ireland well enough to be aware that there was little hope.

He supposed that they intended to murder him. The door, at which he
involuntarily glanced, was fastened by this time with iron bolts. He
was a man of great personal strength and activity, but in such a
situation neither would be likely to avail him. Long inured to danger,
and ready at all moments to meet whatever peril might threaten him, he
calmly faced his adversary and said:--

"This meeting is not accidental, as you would have me believe. You
have contrived it. Explain yourself further."

"Colonel Goring," said Morty Sullivan, "you will recall the
circumstances under which we last parted. Enemy as you are and always
have been to me and mine, I will do you the justice to say that on
that occasion you behaved like a gentleman and a man of courage. But
our quarrel was not fought out. Persons present interfered between us.
We are now alone, and can complete what was then left unfinished."

"Whether I did well or ill, sir," the colonel answered, "in giving you
the satisfaction which you demanded of me at the time you speak of, I
will not now say. But I tell you that the only relations which can
exist between us at present are those between a magistrate and a
criminal who has forfeited his life. If you mean to murder me, you can
do it; you have me at advantage. You can thus add one more to the list
of villainies with which you have stained an honorable name. If you
mean that I owe you a reparation for personal injuries, such as the
customs of Ireland allow one gentleman to require from another, this,
as you well know, is not the way to ask for it. But I acknowledge no
such right. When I last encountered you I but partly knew you. I now
know you altogether. You have been a pirate on the high seas. Your
letters of marque do not cover you, for you are a subject of the King,
and have broken your allegiance. Such as you are, you stand outside
the pale of honorable men, and I should degrade the uniform I wear if
I were to stoop to measure arms with you."

The sallow olive of Morty's cheek turned livid. He clutched the bench
before him, till the muscles of his hands stood out like knots of
rope.

"You are in my power