between us that I got this
beauty-spot yesterday"--pointing to his swollen lip. "Hadn't you poked
your nose in where it wasn't wanted this wouldn't have happened, and I
would have given a good account of myself."

"Sorry, and yet, come to think of it, I'm rather glad," answered Paul
calmly, and not receding an inch from the position he had taken up.

"Glad! How do you mean?"

"Why, if it was through me you got that blow, your quarrel's with me,
and not Moncrief. What's the use of trying to pay back to him what you
owe to me?"

This was a novel way of looking at the dispute which had not occurred to
Newall. As he was not ready with an answer, Paul went on:

"Besides, it was you who got me to speak to Moncrief on--excuse me
saying so--false pretences. I thought you wanted to end the quarrel, to
shake hands with him, and have done with it. It wasn't shaking hands you
wanted, it seems, but clenched fists. I brought him here on a fool's
errand; so the quarrel's mine, not his."

Stanley wished to step in again, but Paul gently yet firmly held his
ground.

"I don't understand quite what you're driving at," said Newall. "It's a
bit of a riddle; but if you want a thrashing as well as your friend, I
dare say you can be obliged, but he comes first. Let him speak for
himself. You can speak for yourself after. Now, Moncrief, no more
shirking."

"It's my quarrel, I say," Paul answered in the same firm tone, and still
keeping Stanley back. "Of course, you think different, and Moncrief here
thinks different, so let's appeal to the Form."

"What's that?" cried Newall.

"Appeal to the Form. The fellows will see things clearer than we can."

The suggestion took Newall's breath away.

"You really mean it?"

"I really mean it."

Newall thought a moment. An appeal to the Form was altogether a new
thing, but as he had not the slightest doubt as to which way they would
decide, why should he not fall in with it?

"Does Moncrief agree to that?" Stanley nodded.

"Very well; let it be as you say, Percival--an appeal to the Form."

Paul, gratified that the quarrel had received a momentary check, was
turning away with Stanley, when Parfitt, who had scarcely spoken
throughout the scene, touched him on the shoulder.

"One minute. Just a little word with you."

He used in effect the same words as Paul had used when he stood between
Newall and Stanley.

"Didn't you find it rather cold in the corridor last night--eh?" he
asked