in the face a moment, then turned to his
lordship's seconds. "If Mr. Caryll is of the same mind as his lordship,
we had best get to work at once," he said; and bowing to them, withdrew
with Gascoigne.

"See to the swords, Mainwaring," said Rotherby shortly. "Here, Fanny!"
This to Falgate, whose name was Francis, and who delighted in the
feminine diminutive which his intimates used toward him. "Come help me
with my clothes."

"I vow to Gad," protested Mr. Falgate, advancing to the task. "I make
but an indifferent valet, my dear."

Mr. Caryll stood thoughtful a moment when Rotherby's wishes had been
made known to him. The odd irony of the situation--the key to which he
was the only one to hold--was borne in upon him. He fetched a sigh of
utter weariness.

"I have," said he, "the greatest repugnance to meeting his lordship."

"'Tis little wonder," returned his grace contemptuously. "But since 'tis
forced upon you, I hope you'll give him the lesson in manners that he
needs."

"Is it--is it unavoidable?" quoth Mr. Caryll.

"Unavoidable?" Wharton looked at him in stern wonder.

Gascoigne, too, swung round to stare. "Unavoidable? What can you mean,
Caryll?"

"I mean is the matter not to be arranged in any way? Must the duel take
place?"

His Grace of Wharton stroked his chin contemplatively, his eye ironical,
his lip curling never so slightly. "Why," said he, at length, "you may
beg my Lord Rotherby's pardon for having given him the lie. You may
retract, and brand yourself a liar and your version of the Maidstone
affair a silly invention which ye have not the courage to maintain. You
may do that, Mr. Caryll. For my own sake, let me add, I hope you will
not do it."

"I am not thinking of your grace at all," said Mr. Caryll, slightly
piqued by the tone the other took with him. "But to relieve your mind of
such doubts as I see you entertain, I can assure you that it is out of
no motives of weakness that I boggle at this combat. Though I confess
that I am no ferrailleur, and that I abhor the duel as a means of
settling a difference just as I abhor all things that are stupid and
insensate, yet I am not the man to shirk an encounter where an encounter
is forced upon me. But in this affair--" he paused, then ended--"there
is more than meets your grace's eye, or, indeed, anyone's."

He was so calm, so master of himself, that Wharton perceived how
groundless must have been his first notion. Whatever might be Mr.
Caryl