entlemen. I had no doubt but that presently I would be
engaged in a desperate attempt to preserve my life. Lady Mary was
weeping. She had never once glanced in my direction. But I was
thrilling with happiness. She had flung me her feeble intercession
even as a lady may fling a bun to a bear in a pit, but I had the
remembrance to prize, to treasure, and if both gentlemen had set upon
me and the sick Earl had advanced with the warming-pan I believe my
new strength would have been able to beat them off.

In the meantime the Earl was screeching meaningless rubbish in which
my name, with epithets, occurred constantly. Lady Mary, still weeping,
was trying to calm him.

Young Lord Strepp at last seemed to make up his mind. He approached me
and remarked:

"An inexplicable situation, Mr. O'Ruddy."

"More to me than to you," I repeated suavely.

"How?" he asked, with less consideration in his manner. "I know nought
of this mummery."

"At least I know no more," I replied, still suave.

"How, Mr. O'Ruddy?" he asked, frowning. "I enter and find you
wrangling with my father in his sick chamber. Is there to be no word
for this?"

"I dare say you will get forty from your father; a hundred, it may
be," said I, always pleasant. "But from me you will get none."

He reflected for a moment. "I dare say you understand I will brook no
high-handed silence in a matter of this kind. I am accustomed to ask
for the reasons for certain kinds of conduct, and of course I am
somewhat prepared to see that the reasons are forthcoming."

"Well, in this case, my lord," said I with a smile, "you can accustom
yourself to not getting a reason for a certain kind of conduct,
because I do not intend to explain myself."

But at this moment our agreeable conversation was interrupted by the
old Earl who began to bay at his son. "Arthur, Arthur, fling the
rascal out; fling the rascal out! He is an impostor, a thief!" He
began to fume and sputter, and threw his arms wildly; he was in some
kind of convulsion; his pillows tossed, and suddenly a packet fell
from under them to the floor. As all eyes wheeled toward it, I stooped
swiftly and picked it up.

"My papers!" said I.

On their part there was a breathless moment of indecision. Then the
swords of Lord Strepp and the Colonel came wildly from their
scabbards. Mine was whipped out no less speedily, but I took it and
flung it on the floor at their feet, the hilt toward them. "No," said
I, my hands em