have nothing further to say," the
commissioner remarked, turning to the agent; "it was a mistake on our
part in supposing that they belonged to these gentlemen, whom we are
proud to call friends, and to whom we now desire to state that we only
proposed to borrow the animals for a short time, and return them after
these unhappy troubles."

"If the d----d brutes were not killed," muttered the colonel, _sotto
voce_, and with a look of the most intense hatred.

"Colonel Kellum, you accuse me of acting unfairly in this business, and
I desire an explanation," Fred said, the matter still rankling in his
mind.

"I have given the only explanation that I shall give, and with that you
must rest satisfied," was the reply of the red-faced Briton.

"Then I suppose that you will favor me with a meeting at an early hour?"
Fred asked.

"What!" cried the military man, with some surprise, "a colonel in her
majesty's army meet a dealer in tea and coffee? You must be mad!"

The red face of the military man grew purple as he thought of the
indignity.

"Then I can only suppose that you are a coward, and that even a blow
would not induce you to fight. Is that the case, sir?"

The colonel smiled with bitter scorn, and turned to leave the store.

"You refuse me an apology, do you?" Fred demanded, springing in front of
Kellum, and barring his way to the door.

"Out of my way, grocer," the colonel shouted, with a laugh so insulting
that Fred could contain himself no longer. He raised his hand and struck
his opponent a light blow across his face.

Kellum swelled until I thought that every vein in his body would burst
at the indignity. He muttered a few inaudible words, and then rubbed his
forehead as though he did not half comprehend the insult, and wished to
recall his scattered senses to know whether it was real.

"Now," said Fred, "you can go. I have repaid you insult for insult, and
we are even-handed. If you desire satisfaction for the blow, you know
where to find me."

"Yes, I can find you now!" Kellum hissed, with an oath of some
magnitude; "you have struck me, and have sold your last pound of tea on
earth."

"Look out!" shouted the stage agent; and his words of caution were none
too soon, for the colonel drew his sword suddenly, and made a desperate
lunge at Fred, which he avoided, and the point of the blade struck
against a nail keg, and broke short off.

"A brave man, to refuse to meet a grocery dealer," my friend said