The Hope pioneer., 1899-06-15
far from obeying the hint to leavc, stepped
wa U hut fn,y naces


away but few PAGES.
"And now, my. wild sea bird" said the
tory redirecting his attention to me, "are
you willing to clear yourself with nv
friend here? Give fair explanation of
this affair if You can, or perhaps YOU would
like to make fine point OF the matter with
me in some quiet spot. l might doubt my
rights to honorably cross swords with such
as you in matter as private as this, but
will torego all objections and ask no terms
All! but You have an excuse; you will doubt
less plead a wound"
The deep insolence of his last remark
turned my dislike of the man to sudden
hatred. Twas not the words, but his more
than unbcarable manner of uttering them
that reused my ire and brought me to the
pitch of action. Had he been nearer, |
would have served him with my fist as l had
served Lounsbury, and would have re.
gretted it at once for its lack of dignity.
Forgetting for the moment my assumed role,
/ stood where he had found me, and an.
swered:
Capt. Scammell, my calling is the sea.
You are but marauding bushwhacker, nor
can the curse be rubbed off you by title or
hidden by fine trappings, and did you but
know it you would be honored by crossing
swords with me. As for an explanation, |
will satisfy you so far as to say that pun
lshed your friend for insulting me, and, by
the God above me, if you wish to carry this
further, l will punish you worse than did
him! could but defend myself from him,
boy whose back could break across my
knee, so he goes harmless. As for you, will
fight you within the hour and ask for no
second"
"Good!" he broke in. "You gave the name
to the weapon. Let it be swords, and at
once. Remember" he went on with an
oath, and working himself into a rage, "ask
no quarter OF me. Up or down give no
mercy; let routrance be the word"
May" said I, famed to an equal heat by
his blood-thirsty manner and the fury in
his eye-''nay, then, will not kill you, vii
lain as you are, but, should disarm you, or
you slip, | will beat you with the flat of my
sword until you roar for quarter, or break
every bone in your foul hide! Twill be
scant mercy, as you were better killed out
right Now look to it, for this will do, or
lily name is not Thorn-Lounsbury!"
l caught myself just in time, and started
violently as l discovered the trip of my
tongue. Both the others likewise gave
Jump, but it Immediately transpired that
each had different cause.
1t was Scammell who first showed his rea-
son for thus starting, and that was through
the insult had offered him in degrading him
by threatened beating. White with rage,
he threw aside the bride, and drawing his
heavy saber, advanced on me with torrent
of oaths.
Before could do more than whip my left
arm out of its sling and lift the bulky table
il defense for | was unarmed), the young
officer sprang between us.
Hold hard, Scammell bloomsbury Are
you Capt. Lounsbury? Lounsbury, of Rye?
l'y my faith! but 1 came near making
bull of it!-This thing can go no further
now, Scammell. I've been looking for the
man high and low for week. Clinton wants
him at once-at once! The order comes
from headquarters. What, man! Hold
hard!"
Hold hard YOURSELF" shouted the tory,
as he tried to dodge the young officer. "No