'Aye, aye,' cried Saxon impatiently, 'there will be some more skilful
leaders and veteran soldiers in the West presently to take his place.
But if he knew the usages of war, how came it that he should fight upon
a private quarrel at such a time?' He drew a flat brown book from his
bosom, and ran his long thin finger down the table of contents.
'Subisectio nona'--'here is the very case set forth, "An in hello
publico provocatus ad duellum privatae amicitiae causa declinare
possit," in which the learned Fleming layeth it down that a man's
private honour must give way to the good of the cause. Did it not
happen in my own case that, on the eve of the raising of the
Anlagerung of Vienna, we stranger officers having been invited to the
tent of the General, it chanced that a red-headed Irisher, one O'Daffy,
an ancient in the regiment of Pappenheimer, did claim precedence of me
on the ground of superiority of blood? On this I drew my glove across
his face, not, mark ye, in anger, but as showing that I differed in some
degree from his opinion. At which dissent he did at once offer to
sustain his contention, but I, having read this subsection to him, did
make it clear to him that we could not in honour settle the point until
the Turk was chased from the city. So after the onfall--'

'Nay, sir, I may hear the narrative some future day,' said the
messenger, staggering to his feet. 'I hope to find a relay at
Chichester, and time presses. Work for the cause now, or be slaves
for ever. Farewell!' He clambered into his saddle, and we heard the
clatter of his hoofs dying away down the London road.

'The time hath come for you to go, Micah,' said my father solemnly.'
Nay, wife, do not weep, but rather hearten the lad on his way by a
blithe word and a merry face. I need not tell you to fight manfully and
fearlessly in this quarrel. Should the tide of war set in this