major, stung, "that I too am a
descendant of those bullies and swash-bucklers, as you call them. And I
wish from my heart I thought we, nowadays, could hold a tallow-dip to
them. Whatever their habits, they had their ideals, and they lived up to
them."

"You refer, no doubt," said the doctor with sarcasm, "to our friend
Devil-John and his ideal treatment of his wife!"

"No, sah," replied the major warmly. "I'm _not_ referring to Devil-John.
There were exceptions, no doubt, but for the most part they treated
their women folk as I believe their Maker made them to be treated! The
man who failed in his courtesy there, sah, was called to account for it.
He was mighty apt to find himself standing in the cool dawn at the
butt-end of a--"

He broke off and coughed. There was an awkward pause in which he set
down his glass noisily and rose and stood before the open bookcase. "I
envy you this, sah," he said with somewhat of haste. "A fine old
collection. Bless my soul, what a curious volume!"

As he spoke, his hand jerked out a heavy-looking leather-back. Valiant,
who had risen and stood beside him, saw instantly that what he had drawn
from the shelf was the morocco case that held the rusted dueling-pistol!
In the major's hands the broken box opened. A sudden startled look
darted across his leonine face. With a smothered exclamation he thrust
it back between the books and closed the glass door.

Valiant had paled. His previous finding of the weapon had escaped his
mind. Now he read, as clearly as if it had been printed in black-letter
across the sunny wall, the significance of the major's confusion. That
weapon had been in his father's hand when he had faced his opponent in
that fatal duel! It flashed across his mind as the doctor lunged for his
hat and stick and got to his feet.

"Come, Bristow," said the latter irritably. "Your feet will grow fast to
the floor presently. We mustn't talk a new neighbor to death. I've got
to see a patient at six."

CHAPTER XXV

JOHN VALIANT ASKS A QUESTION

Valiant went with them to the outer door. A painful thought was flooding
his mind. It hampered his speech and it was only by a violent effort
that he found voice:

"One moment! There is a question I would like to ask."

Both gentlemen had turned upon the steps and as they faced him he
thought a swift glance passed between them. They waited courteously, the
doctor with his habitual frown, the major's hand fumbling for the