d at last by this delay, he gave expression to his thoughts.

"You are quite right, monsieur," said Courthon. "But your second is
over-fastidious. It would simplify matters so much if you would remove
your boots."

"Look you, sirs," said Garnache, taking a firm stand, "I will engage in
my boots and on this very spot or not at all. I have told you that I am
in haste. As for the slipperiness of the ground, my opponent will run
no greater risks than I. I am not the only impatient one. The spectators
are beginning to jeer at us. We shall have every scullion in Grenoble
presently saying that we are afraid of one another. Besides which, sirs,
I think I am taking cold."

"I am quite of monsieur's mind, myself," drawled Sanguinetti.

"You hear, sir," exclaimed Courthon, turning to Gaubert. "You can scarce
persist in finding objections now."

"Why, since all are satisfied, so be it," said Gaubert, with a shrug. "I
sought to do the best for my principal. As it is, I wash my hands of all
responsibility, and by all means let us engage, sirs."

They disposed themselves accordingly, Gaubert engaging Courthon, on
Garnache's right hand, and Garnache himself falling on guard to receive
the attack of Sanguinetti. The jeers and murmurs that had been rising
from the ever-growing crowd that swarmed about the outskirts of the
place fell silent as the clatter of meeting swords rang out at last. And
then, scarce were they engaged when a voice arose, calling angrily:

"Hold, Sanguinetti! Wait!"

A big, broad-shouldered man, in a suit of homespun and a featherless
hat, thrust his way rudely trough the crowd and broke into the space
within the belt of trees. The combatants had fallen apart at this
commanding cry, and the newcomer now dashed forward, flushed and out of
breath as if with running.

"Vertudieu! Sanguinetti," he swore, and his manner was half-angry,
half-bantering; "do you call this friendship?"

"My dear Francois" returned the foreigner, "you arrive most
inopportunely."

"And is that all the greeting you have for me?"

Looking more closely, Garnache thought that he recognized in him one of
Sanguinetti's companions of yesternight.

"But do you not see that I am engaged?"

"Ay; and that is my grievance that you should be engaged upon such an
affair, and that I should have no share in it. It is to treat me like
a lackey, and have the right to feel offended. Enfin! It seems I an not
come too late."

Garnache cut in. He