The old servant shook his head, turned into a side road and soon lost
the road so completely in this wandering by night that he was at last
obliged to confess to his master that he did not know himself where
they were. Beldi trembled with inward emotion. Looking about him he
saw not far off a light, and quite out of temper he bade the coachman
drive toward it. They drove into the courtyard of a lonely country
house. The barking of the great house-dog brought out the master, in
whom Beldi recognized old Adam Gyergyai one of his dearest friends
who, as he recognized Beldi, hurried forward to embrace him, beside
himself with joy.

"Good-evening, my dear friend," said the good old man, covering his
guest with kisses:--"I do not ask what good fortune has brought you to
me."

"To tell the truth, I have lost my way. I was on my way to
Klausenburg. I shall go on this very night, and with your permission
leave my horses here to rest."

"What have you to do there that is so pressing?"

"I must carry some news," said Beldi, evasively.

"If that is all, why need you hasten so? You can certainly trust it to
a letter and one of my servants on horse shall carry it at once to the
place while you stay here."

"You are right," said Beldi, after some consideration;--"it will be
better for me to manage the matter by letter." So he asked for writing
materials, sat down and wrote Banfy. Writing usually brings a certain
soberness to one's thoughts, so this letter was in quite a moderate
tone. He informed Banfy that he summoned him to Szamos-Ujvar to adjust
an affair of honor. With that Beldi sealed the letter and intrusted it
to Gyergyai with the request that he be so kind as to send it.

"So you are writing to Banfy, my good friend," said the old man,
looking at the address of the letter. "You could have talked with him
a little while ago. What have you two to arrange with each other that
is so urgent?"

"You remember, my friend," replied Beldi, "that you saw me once in the
lists with Banfy, at the time of the tournament when George Rakoczi
was the master?"

"Oh yes, you had overcome all other contestants but could do nothing
against each other."

"On that occasion you said that you would like to see which one of us
would carry off the victory in a real engagement."

"Yes, I remember that too."

"Now you shall see."

Gyergyai looked Beldi in the eye.

"My friend, I do not know what this letter contains but from your
exp