antly, and
as he sprang to his feet I saw that he was tall and middle aged. His
face was shrewd and intelligent, clean-shaven, and slightly wrinkled. He
wore a white neck-cloth, antiquated coat and breeches of rusty black,
and gray stockings with silver buckles at the knee; a cluster of seals
dangled from his watch chain, and his fingers were long and white.

"What the devil do you mean by striking me, sir?" he demanded angrily.

"I merely gave you a tap," Captain Rudstone replied coolly. "I wish you
to join this gentleman and myself in a drink."

"I have no desire to drink."

"But I say you shall!"

"And I say I shall not. I am a man of peace, but by Heavens, sir, I will
swallow no affront tamely."

"I believe you are a spy--an emissary of the Northwest Company," cried
the captain; and I knew by his manner that he had really suspected the
stranger from the first.

"Then you lie, sir!" declared the man in black. "Here is my card."

He tossed a slip of pasteboard on the table, and picking it up, I read
the following:

"CHRISTOPHER BURLEY.
"For Parchmont and Tolliver, Solicitors,
"Lincoln's Inn, London."

I handed the card to Captain Rudstone, and he glanced at it
disdainfully.

"A law clerk," he sneered. "But come, I will overlook your menial
position. I am not too proud to clink glasses with you."

"The boot is on the other leg, sir," cried the man of law. "I pick my
company, and I refuse to drink with a swashbuckler and a roysterer."

"You shall drink with me," roared the captain, drawing his blade, "or I
will teach you civil manners with the point of this!"

I judged that it was time to interfere.

"Captain Rudstone, you are behaving unseemly," said I. "There is no
cause for a quarrel. You will think better of it in the morning. I beg
you to drop the matter. Let us retire to the next room and have our
friendly drink."

I thought he would have run me through for my interference, so blackly
did he glare at me; but the next instant he sheathed his sword and
laughed.

"You are right," he said. "I have had a drop too much for the first time
for months. I offer my apologies to the offended law. Come, Mr. Carew, I
will take another cup to your good health."

As he spoke he approached the door, and as I followed him the law clerk
stopped me by a touch on the shoulder.

"My thanks to you, young gentleman," he said. "I like your face, and I
put no blame on you for what has occurred. A word