r, we deny it not," answered the Gallegan; "yet this
fellow, after abusing the English and their land till there were no more
ill words in the language, turned upon us because we chanced to agree
with him, outs with his pocket-book and deals round what he calls
'cartels of defiance' as if he dealt a hand at ombre. Then, after some
give and take of ill words, as your honour knows the custom is, he pulls
his blade upon us, and makes play as you saw. We are poor fellows, and
know no more than how to defend ourselves. And if we fight, our custom
is to do it with a couple of Albacete knives before half the town, and
be done with it. But this stranger was all for duels, and seconds, and
codes of honour, after the mode of Paris."

"And a very excellent thing too, sir," said the Old Castilian, smiling
at the Scot, "but in their due place, and their place is hardly in the
kitchen of the venta of San Vicencio. Listen to me. My finding is this.
You will all shake hands, after an apology given and received in the
matter of the stranger's country, and since he has paid no reckoning
these ten days according to his own statement, the which I believe, he
shall defray his count so soon as it shall be presented to him by the
host. Are you agreed?"

"Agreed!" said the Gallegan, holding out his hand to the Scot, "and I
regret, on behalf of myself and my companions, that we ever said aught
to the discredit of England, the very distinguished country of which the
Senor stranger is a native."

The Scot shrugged his shoulders in the French manner, but nevertheless
held out his hand with some show of heartiness.

"I am no citizen of England, thank God," he said, "I own no such
pock-pudding land, but it will be a heavy day when Rollo Blair of Castle
Blair, in the good shire of Fife, sits still with his hands in his
pockets and hears a garlic-eating Frenchman abuse the English, with
whom his forbears fought so many good fights."

"I thank you on behalf of my country for your championship, such as it
is," said the stout Englishman, smiling; "things that cut and thrust or
go off with a bang, are not in my way. But if my knuckles are any good
against the bridge of a man's nose, they shall henceforth be at your
country's service. For the rest, bills of lading and exchanges at thirty
days are more in my line."

"Ah," said the young Scot, twirling an almost invisible moustache,
"commerce I know little of. I was bred to the profession of arms. My