nge for you at once,
without knowing anything about it; and now you're just the other way;
if you don't like the business, there's George will take it off your
hands, he says."

After a considerable quantity of squabbling among this family party
it was at last decided that a civil note should be sent to Ardrum,
in which Mr. Webb should be desired to state that he had made no
allusion to Brown Hall; accordingly a servant on horseback was
dispatched on the Monday morning with the following missive:--

Brown Hall,
Sunday Evening.

Mr. Brown presents his compliments to Mr. Webb, and begs
to inform him that certain expressions which fell from
him at the meeting at Carrick on Saturday respecting the
murder of Captain Ussher, have been thought by many to
have had reference to the family at Brown Hall. Mr. Brown
feels himself assured that Mr. Webb would not so far
forget himself, as to make any such allusion in public
to a neighbouring gentleman and magistrate; but as Mr.
Webb's words were certainly singular in their reference
to Captain Ussher's intimacy with some family in the
neighbourhood, and as many conceive that they were
directly pointed at Brown Hall, Mr. Brown must beg Mr.
Webb to give him his direct assurance in writing that
nothing which fell from him was intended to apply either
to Mr. Brown or his family.

To W. WEBB, Esq.,
Ardrum.

Mr. Webb was at home when the servant arrived, and, only detaining
him two minutes, sent him back with the following answer:--

Ardrum,
Monday Morning.

Mr. Webb presents his compliments to Mr. Brown. Mr. Webb
regrets that he cannot comply with the request made in Mr.
Brown's letter of yesterday's date.

To JONAS BROWN, Esq.,
Brown Hall.

The conclave at Brown Hall, on receipt of this laconic epistle,
unanimously declared that it was tantamount to a declaration of war,
and that desperate measures must at once be adopted.

"The sod's the only place now, father," said George; "by heavens I
like him the better for not recanting."

"He's a cursed good shot," said Fred. "Would you like to send for
Keegan before you go out?"

"Keegan be d----d!" said George; "but have Blake by, for he'll wing
you as sure as Moses."

"May be not," said Fred. "Webb's a d----d good shot in a gallery; but
may be he won't allow for the wind on the sod; but it'll be as well
to have the sawbones."

"No fe