nd he never
takes less than five. Bad luck to you, Mickey, if it was a drink for
your own stomach, you would be moving faster. Are you wishing to ruin
my reputation for hospitality, you rogue you?"

And my father was going on with Mickey, only that he looked about him
at this time and discovered his guests all upon their feet, one with
the tongs and one with the poker, others with decanters ready to
throw.

"What's this?" said he.

"The lance," said they.

"What lance?" said he.

"The lance of the lancer," said they.

"And why shouldn't he have a lance?" said my father. "'Faith, 'twould
be an odd lancer without a lance!"

By this time they were so angry that Mickey, seeing how things were
going, and I being a mere lad, took me from the room. I never heard
precisely what happened to the lancer, but he must have had the worst
of it, for wasn't my father, seated there at the table, telling the
story long years after?

Well, as to my duel with Forister: Colonel Royale was an extremely
busy man, and almost tired my life out with a quantity of needless
attentions. For my part, I thought more of Lady Mary and the fact that
she considered me no more than if I had been a spud. Colonel Royale
fluttered about me. I would have gruffly sent him away if it were not
that everything he did was meant in kindliness and generous feeling. I
was already believing that he did not have more than one brain in his
head, but I could not be ungrateful for his interest and enthusiasm in
getting me out to be hurt correctly. I understood, long years
afterward, that he and Lord Strepp were each so particular in the
negotiations that no less than eighteen bottles of wine were consumed.

The morning for the duel dawned softly warm, softly wet, softly foggy.
The Colonel popped into my room the moment I was dressed. To my
surprise, he was now quite mournful. It was I, now, who had to do the
cheering.

"Your spirits are low, Colonel?" said I banteringly.

"Aye, O'Ruddy," he answered with an effort, "I had a bad night, with
the gout. Heaven help this devil from getting his sword into your
bowels."

He had made the appointment with Strepp, of course, and as we walked
toward the ground he looked at me very curiously out of the ends of
his eyes. "You know--ah, you have the honour of the acquaintance of
Lady Mary Strepp, O'Ruddy?" said he suddenly and nervously.

"I have," I answered, stiffening. Then I said: "And you?"

"Her father and I w