iation, but I was too
preoccupied to hear much of what she was saying. But she certainly
backed us both, and I am inclined to think now--it may be the
disillusionment of my ripened years--whichever she thought was winning.

Then young Garvell, giving way before my slogging, stumbled and fell
over a big flint, and I, still following the tradition of my class and
school, promptly flung myself on him to finish him. We were busy
with each other on the ground when we became aware of a dreadful
interruption.

"Shut up, you FOOL!" said Archie.

"Oh, Lady Drew!" I heard Beatrice cry. "They're fighting! They're
fighting something awful!"

I looked over my shoulder. Archie's wish to get up became irresistible,
and my resolve to go on with him vanished altogether.

I became aware of the two old ladies, presences of black and purple silk
and fur and shining dark things; they had walked up through the Warren,
while the horses took the hill easily, and so had come upon us. Beatrice
had gone to them at once with an air of taking refuge, and stood beside
and a little behind them. We both rose dejectedly. The two old ladies
were evidently quite dreadfully shocked, and peering at us with their
poor old eyes; and never had I seen such a tremblement in Lady Drew's
lorgnettes.

"You've never been fighting?" said Lady Drew.

"You have been fighting."

"It wasn't proper fighting," snapped Archie, with accusing eyes on me.

"It's Mrs. Ponderevo's George!" said Miss Somerville, so adding a
conviction for ingratitude to my evident sacrilege.

"How could he DARE?" cried Lady Drew, becoming very awful.

"He broke the rules" said Archie, sobbing for breath. "I slipped,
and--he hit me while I was down. He knelt on me."

"How could you DARE?" said Lady Drew.

I produced an experienced handkerchief rolled up into a tight ball, and
wiped the blood from my chin, but I offered no explanation of my daring.
Among other things that prevented that, I was too short of breath.

"He didn't fight fair," sobbed Archie.

Beatrice, from behind the old ladies, regarded me intently and without
hostility. I am inclined to think the modification of my face through
the damage to my lip interested her. It became dimly apparent to my
confused intelligence that I must not say these two had been playing
with me. That would not be after the rules of their game. I resolved
in this difficult situation upon a sulky silence, and to take whatever
consequences m