ectedly, but I
cut him short.

Jem Bottles, unable to endure the suspense, had come up from below.
He was still bristling and blustering, as if all the maids were
remarking him.

"And why does this fine gentleman kick and pound on the door?" he
demanded in a gruff voice loud enough to be heard in all appreciative
parts of the inn. "I'll have him out and slit his nose."

The thunder on the door ceased, and the captive observed:

"Ha! another scoundrel! If my ears do not play me false, there are now
three waiting for me to kick them to the hangman."

Restraining Paddy and Bottles, who each wished to reply in heroic
verse to this sally, I stepped to the door.

"Sir," said I civilly, "I fear a great blunder has been done. I--"

"Why," said the captive with a sneer, "'tis the Irishman! 'Tis the
king of the Irelands. Open the door, pig."

My elation knew no bounds.

"Paddy," cried I, "you have the right little black man." But there was
no time for celebration. I must first answer my enemy. "You will
remember that I kicked you once," said I, "and if you have a memory as
long as my finger be careful I do not kick you again, else even people
as far away as the French will think you are a meteor. But I would not
be bandying words at long range. Paddy, unbar the door."

"If I can," muttered Paddy, fumbling with a lot of machinery so
ingenious that it would require a great lack of knowledge to
thoroughly understand it. In the mean time we could hear Forister move
away from the door, and by the sound of a leisurely scrape of a chair
on the floor I judge he had taken his seat somewhere near the centre
of the room. Bottles was handling his pistol and regarding me.

"Yes," said I, "if he fires, do you pepper him fairly. Otherwise await
my orders. Paddy, you slug, unbar the door."

"If I am able," said Paddy, still muttering and fumbling with his
contrivances. He had no sooner mouthed the words than the door flew
open as if by magic, and we discovered a room bright with the light of
a fire and candles. Forister was seated negligently at a table in the
centre of the room. His legs were crossed, but his naked sword lay on
the table at his hand. He had the first word, because I was amazed,
almost stunned, by the precipitous opening of the door.

"Ho! ho!" he observed frigidly, "'tis indeed the king of the Irelands,
accompanied by the red-headed duke who has entertained me for some
time, and a third party with a thief's face