"I have not decided."

"And in the meantime?"

"Do as you please."

"Ah, thanks for this generosity," cried the young man, in a tone of
declamatory sarcasm so artificial as fairly to scent the
elocutionary. "To do as I please--here--now there's a blessed
privilege! I may walk around where I want to, talk to such as have
a good word for me, punish those who have not! But do I err in
concluding that the state of your game law is such that it would be
useless to reclaim my rifle from the engaging Placide?"

"You have a fine instinct," approved the Factor.

"It is one of my valued possessions," rejoined the young man,
insolently. He struck a match, and by its light selected a
cigarette.

"I do not myself use tobacco in this room," suggested the older
speaker.

"I am curious to learn the limits of your forbearance," replied the
younger, proceeding to smoke.

He threw back his head and regarded his opponent with an open
challenge, daring him to become angry. The match went out.