alarming suggestion. Mr Willet
looked at the fire, weighing in his own mind the effect which such an
occurrence would be likely to have on the establishment.

'Well,' said John, 'I don't know--I am sure--I remember that when I went
up last, he HAD put the lights upon the mantel-shelf.'

'It's as plain,' returned Solomon, 'as the nose on Parkes's face'--Mr
Parkes, who had a large nose, rubbed it, and looked as if he considered
this a personal allusion--'they'll fight in that room. You know by
the newspapers what a common thing it is for gentlemen to fight in
coffee-houses without seconds. One of 'em will be wounded or perhaps
killed in this house.'

'That was a challenge that Barnaby took then, eh?' said John.

'--Inclosing a slip of paper with the measure of his sword upon it, I'll
bet a guinea,' answered the little man. 'We know what sort of gentleman
Mr Haredale is. You have told us what Barnaby said about his looks, when
he came back. Depend upon it, I'm right. Now, mind.'

The flip had had no flavour till now. The tobacco had been of mere
English growth, compared with its present taste. A duel in that great
old rambling room upstairs, and the best bed ordered already for the
wounded man!

'Would it be swords or pistols, now?' said John.

'Heaven knows. Perhaps both,' returned Solomon. 'The gentlemen wear
swords, and may easily have pistols in their pockets--most likely have,
indeed. If they fire at each other without effect, then they'll draw,
and go to work in earnest.'

A shade passed over Mr Willet's face as he thought of broken windows and
disabled furniture, but bethinking himself that one of the parties would
probably be left alive to pay the damage, he brightened up again.

'And then,' said Solomon, looking from face to face, 'then we shall have
one of those stains upon the floor that never come out. If Mr Haredale
wins, depend upon it, it'll be a deep one; or if he loses, it will
perhaps be deeper still, for he'll never give in unless he's beaten
down. We know him better, eh?'

'Better indeed!' they whispered all together.

'As to its ever being got out again,' said Solomon, 'I tell you it never
will, or can be. Why, do you know that it has been tried, at a certain
house we are acquainted with?'

'The Warren!' cried John. 'No, sure!'

'Yes, sure--yes. It's only known by very few. It has been whispered
about though, for all that. They planed the board away, but there it
was. They went deep, b