"Didn't Mazaro tell ye why I didn't come?" asked the other, beginning to
be puzzled at his host's meaning.

"Yez," replied M. D'Hemecourt, "bud one brev zhenteman should not be
afraid of"--

The young man stopped him with a quiet laugh, "Munsher D'Himecourt,"
said he, "I'm nor afraid of any two men living--I say I'm nor afraid of
any two men living, and certainly not of the two that's bean a-watchin'
me lately, if they're the two I think they are."

M. D'Hemecourt flushed in a way quite incomprehensible to the speaker,
who nevertheless continued:

"It was the charges," he said, with some slyness in his smile. "They
_are_ heavy, as ye say, and that's the very reason--I say that's the
very reason why I staid away, ye see, eh? I say that's the very reason I
staid away."

Then, indeed, there was a dew for the maiden to wipe from her brow,
unconscious that every word that was being said bore a different
significance in the mind of each of the three. The old man was agitated.
"Bud, sir," he began, shaking his head and lifting his hand.

"Bless yer soul, Munsher D'Himecourt," interrupted the Irishman. "Wut's
the use o' grapplin' two cut-throats, when"--

"Madjor Shaughnessy!" cried M. D'Hemecourt, losing all self-control.
"H-I am nod a cud-troad, Madjor Shaughnessy, h-an I 'ave a r-r-righd to
wadge you."