t, I presume?"

"He is attached to it temporarily. If you will inquire at the Armoury
for Lemoine, the Maitre d'Armes, he will oblige you, I have no doubt.
But----"

"If you please?" the Colonel said politely, seeing that Marsh
hesitated.

"If you are not a skilled swordsman, I fear that it is not one lesson,
or two, or a dozen, will enable you to meet Captain Payton, if you have
such a thing in your mind, sir. He is but little weaker than Lemoine,
and Lemoine is a fair match with a small-sword for any man out of
London. Brady in Dublin, possibly, and perhaps half a dozen in England
are his betters, but----" he stopped abruptly, his ear catching a
snigger at the window. "I need not trouble you with that," he concluded
lamely.

"Still," the Colonel answered simply, "a long reach goes for much, I
have heard, and I am tall."

Captain Marsh looked at him in pity, and he might have put his
compassion into words, but for the young bloods at the window, who, he
knew, would repeat the conversation. He contented himself, therefore,
with saying rather curtly, "I believe it goes some way." And he turned
stiffly to go out.

But the Colonel had a last question to put to him. "At what hour," he
asked, "should I be most likely to find this--Lemoine, at leisure?"

"Lemoine?"

"If you please."

Marsh opened his mouth to answer, but found himself anticipated by one
of the youngsters. "Three in the afternoon is the best time," the lad
said bluntly, speaking over his shoulder. He popped out his head again,
that his face, swollen by his perception of the jest, might not betray
it.

But the Colonel seemed to see nothing. "I thank you," he said, bowing
courteously.

And re-seating himself, as Marsh went out, he finished his breakfast.
The two at the window, after exploding once or twice in an attempt to
stifle their laughter, drew in their heads, and, still red in the face,
marched solemnly past the Colonel, and out of the room. His seat, now
the window was clear, commanded a view of the street, and presently he
saw the two young bloods go by in the company of four or five of their
like. They were gesticulating, nor was there much doubt, from the
laughter with which their tale was received, that they were retailing a
joke of signal humour.

That did not surprise the Colonel. But when the door opened a moment
later, and Marsh came hastily into the room, and with averted face
began to peer about for something, he was surprised