cent people that must be spilled."

"Your joining us will neither help nor hinder that."

"And your not joining us will have deucedly unpleasant effects for you,"
suggested O'Sullivan pleasantly.

Lord Balmerino flung round on him angrily, his hand on sword hilt. "I
think you have forgotten one thing, Mr. O'Sullivan."

"And that is----?"

"That Mr. Montagu came here as my guest. If he does not care to join us he
shall be free as air to depart."

O'Sullivan laughed hardily. "Shall he? Gadzooks! The Chevalier O'Sullivan
will have a word to say with him first. He did not come as any guest of
mine. What the devil! If you were not sure of him, why did you bring
him?"

Balmerino fumed, but he had no answer for that. He could only say,--

"I thought him sure to join, but I can answer for his silence with my
life."

"'T will be more to the point that we do not answer for his speech with
our lives," grumbled Leath.

The Frenchman leaned forward eagerly. "You thought heem to be at heart of
us, and you were meestaken; you theenk heem sure to keep our secret, but
how are we to know you are not again meestaken?"

"Sure, that's easy," broke out O'Sullivan scornfully. "We'll know when the
rope is round our gullets."

"Oh, he won't peach, Sully. He isn't that kind. Stap me, you never know a
gentleman when you see one," put in Creagh carelessly.

The young Highlander Macdonald spoke up. "Gentlemen, I'm all for making an
end to this collieshangie. By your leave, Lord Balmerino, Mr. Creagh and
myself will step up-stairs with this gentleman and come to some
composition on the matter. Mr. Montagu saved my life last night, but I
give you the word of Donald Roy Macdonald that if I am not satisfied in
the end I will plant six inches of steel in his wame for him to digest,
and there's gumption for you at all events."

He said it as composedly as if he had been proposing a stroll down the Row
with me, and I knew him to be just the man who would keep his word. The
others knew it too, and presently we four found ourselves alone together
in a room above.

"Is your mind so set against joining us, Kenn? I have got myself into a
pickle, and I wish you would just get me out," Balmerino began.

"If they had asked me civilly I dare say I should have said 'Yes!' an hour
ago, but I'll not be forced in."

"Quite right, too. You're a broth of a boy. I wouldn't in your place,
Montagu, and I take off my hat to your spirit," said Creagh. "N