ently, "are you to blame for the
violent views of this gentleman who so--ah--_distinguished_ himself at
Cherry Valley?"

A sour grimace stamped the visage of every officer present; the name of
Cherry Valley was not pleasant to New York ears.

At that moment Walter Butler entered, halted on the threshold, glancing
haughtily around him, advanced amid absolute silence, made his bow to
Sir Peter, turned and rendered a perfect salute to Sir Henry, then, as
Sir Peter quietly named him to every man present, greeted each with
ceremony and a graceful reserve that could not but stamp him as a
gentleman of quality and breeding.

To me, above all, was his attitude faultless; and I, relinquishing to a
tyrant conscience all hopes of profiting by my blunder in angering him,
and giving up all hopes of a duel and consequently of freedom from my
hateful business in New York, swallowed pride and repulsion at a single
gulp, and crossed the room to where he stood alone, quite at his ease
amid the conversation which excluded him.

"Mr. Butler," I said, "I spoke hastily and thoughtlessly an hour since.
I come to say so."

He bowed instantly, regarding me with curious eyes.

"I know not how to make further amends," I began, but he waved his hand
with peculiar grace, a melancholy smile on his pale visage.

"I only trust, Mr. Renault, that you may one day understand me better.
No amends are necessary. I assure you that I shall endeavor to so
conduct that in future neither you nor any man may misapprehend my
motives." He glanced coolly across at Sir Henry, then very pleasantly
spoke of the coming rout at the Fort, expressing pleasure in gaiety and
dancing.

"I love music, too," he said thoughtfully, "but have heard little for a
year save the bellow of conch-horns from the rebel riflemen of Morgan's
corps."

Mr. De Lancey had come up, moved by the inbred courtesy which
distinguished not Sir Henry, who ostentatiously held Sir Peter in
forced consultation, his shoulder turned to Walter Butler. And, of the
twain, Mr. Butler cut the better figure, and spite of his true
character, I was secretly gratified to see how our Tryon County gentry
suffered nothing in comparison of savoir faire with the best that
England sent us. Courtesy to an enemy--that is a creed no gentleman can
renounce save with his title. I speak not of disputes in hot blood, but
of a chance meeting upon neutral ground; and Sir Henry was no credit to
his title and his countr