ts
a poor woman, and breaks his word of honour. Consider the word said, and
act upon it as you think fit."

"I owe you four thousand pounds, Kew," says Belsize, "and I have got
four thousand on the bills, besides four hundred when I came out of that
place."

"You insult me the more," cries Kew, flashing out, "by alluding to the
money. If you will leave this place to-morrow, well and good; if not,
you will please to give me a meeting. Mr. Newcome will you be so kind
as to act as my friend? We are connexions, you know, and this gentleman
chooses to insult a lady who is about to become one of our family."

"C'est bien, milord. Ma foi! c'est d'agir en vrai gentilhomme," says
Florac, delighted. "Touchez-la, mon petit Kiou. Tu as du coeur. Godam!
you are a brave! A brave fellow!" and the Viscount reached out his hand
cordially to Lord Kew.

His purpose was evidently pacific. From Kew he turned to the great
guardsman, and taking him by the coat began to apostrophise him. "And
you, mon gros," says he, "is there no way of calming this hot blood
without a saignee? Have you a penny to the world? Can you hope to carry
off your Chimene, O Rodrigue, and live by robbing afterwards on the
great way? Suppose you kill ze Fazer, you kill Kiou, you kill Roostere,
your Chimene will have a pretty moon of honey."

"What the devil do you mean about your Chimene and your Rodrigue? Do
you mean, Viscount----?" says Belsize, "Jack Belsize once more, and he
dashed his hand across his eyes. Kew has riled me, and he drove me half
wild. I ain't much of a Frenchman, but I know enough of what you said,
to say it's true, by Jove, and that Frank Kew's a trump. That's what
you mean. Give us your hand, Frank. God bless you, old boy; don't be too
hard upon me, you know I'm d----d miserable, that I am. Hullo! What's
this?" Jack's pathetic speech was interrupted at this instant, for the
Vicomte de Florac in his enthusiasm rushed into his arms, and jumped up
towards his face and proceeded to kiss Jack. A roar of immense laughter,
as he shook the little Viscount off, cleared the air and ended this
quarrel.

Everybody joined in this chorus, the Frenchman with the rest, who said,
"he loved to laugh meme when he did not know why." And now came the
moment of the evening, when Clive, according to Lord Kew's saying,
behaved so well and prevented Barnes from incurring a great danger.
In truth, what Mr. Clive did or said amounted exactly to nothing. What
moments