He bent his head sullenly. "He shall fight me, whatever happens," he
muttered.

I found it wise to pay no heed to this. "It will be best," I said to
Murray, "to remain here with Mr. Mackenzie until I am ready for him.
Mr. Urquhart may retire to his quarters, if he will--I advise it,
indeed--but I shall require his attendance in a few minutes. You
understand," I added significantly, "that for the present this affair
remains strictly between ourselves." I knew well enough that, for all
the King's regulations, a meeting would inevitably follow sooner or
later, and will own I looked upon it as the proper outcome, between
gentlemen, of such a quarrel. But it was not for me, their Colonel, to
betray this knowledge or my feelings, and by imposing secrecy I put
off for the time all the business of a formal challenge with seconds.
So I left them, and requesting my brother to follow me, mounted to my
own room. The door was no sooner shut than I turned on him.

"Surely," I said, "this is a bad mistake of Urquhart's? It's an
incredible charge. From all I've seen of him, the lad would never be
guilty ..." I paused, expecting his assent. To my surprise he did not
give it, but stood fingering his chin and looking serious.

"I don't know," he answered unwillingly. "There are stories against
him."

"What stories?"

"Nothing definite." My brother hesitated. "It doesn't seem fair to him
to repeat mere whispers. But the others don't like him."