said? How comes he into
it? Grio was prating of him, I suppose?" For an instant, while he waited
the answer to the question, his eyes shrank again to pin-points.

"He came in and found us at sword-play," Claude answered. "Or just
falling to it. And though the fault was not mine, he would have sent me
to prison if I had not had a letter for him."

"Oh!" And returning with a manifest effort to the tone and manner of a
few minutes before:--

"Impiger, Iracundus, Inexorabilis, acer
Jura neget sibi nata, nihil non arroget armis,"

he hummed. "I doubt if such manners will be appreciated in Geneva, young
man," and furtively he wiped his brow. "To old stagers like my friend
here who has given his proofs of fidelity to the State, some indulgence
is granted----"

"I see that," Claude answered with sarcasm.

"I am saying it. But you, if you will not be warned, will soon find or
make the town too hot for you."

"He will find this house too hot for him!" growled his companion, who
had made more than one vain attempt to assert himself. "And that to-day!
To-day! Perdition, I know him now," he continued, fixing his bloodshot
eyes on the young man, "and if he crows here as he crowed last night,
his comb must be cut! As well soon as late, for there will be no living
with him! There, don't hold me, man! Let me at him!" And he tried to
rise.

"Fool, have done!" Basterga replied, still restraining him, but only by
the exertion of considerable force. And then in a lower tone but one
partially audible, "Do you want to draw the eyes of all Geneva this
way?" he continued. "Do you want the house marked and watched and every
gossip's tongue wagging about it? You did harm enough last night, I'll
answer, and well if no worse comes of it! Have done, I say, or I shall
speak, you know to whom!"

"Why does he come here? Why does he follow me?" the sot complained.

"Cannot you hear that his father lodged here?"

"A lie!" Grio cried vehemently. "He is spying on us! First at the 'Bible
and Hand' last night, and then here! It is you who are the fool, man.
Let me go! Let me at him, I say!"

"I shall not!" the big man answered firmly. And he whispered in the
other's ear something which Claude could not catch. Whatever it was it
cooled Grio's rage. He ceased to struggle, nodded sulkily and sat back.
He stretched out his hand, took a long draught, and having emptied his
jug, "Here's Geneva!" he said, wiping his lips with the air of a man