ter Rainham and Master Hungerford are exceedingly angry," he
asserted.

Halfman flouted him and his clients.

"Because she bobbed them so bravely? The knaves came raving to our
gates when they found how they had been tricked into picking each
other's pockets. But I made them take to their heels, I promise you.
You should have seen their fool faces at the sight of a musket's
muzzle."

Sir Blaise looked righteously indignant.

"Sir, sir," he protested, "muskets will not mend matters if these
gentlemen have been wronged. They came hot-foot to me, and in the
interests of peace I have entreated them hither. They wait without in
the care of two of your people to keep them from flying at each
other's throats."

Halfman heard the distressing news with equanimity.

"Why not let them kill each other?" he suggested, blandly. Blaise
lifted his hands in horror.

"Friend," he said, "in this mission I am a man of peace. Will you
acquaint your lady?"

Halfman grunted acquiescence.

"Oh, ay; bring in your boobies."

He turned on his heel and swung out through the doorway into the
garden.

Sir Blaise looked after him for a moment disapprovingly, then he went
to the door by which he had entered, and, opening it, called aloud,

"This way, gentlemen, this way."

XXIV

A HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE

There was a loud, scuffling noise without, as of the trampling of
many feet and the inarticulate growlings of wild beasts. Then Clupp
entered the room, clasping in his mighty arms the long body of Master
Paul Hungerford. He was followed by Garlinge, who was performing the
like embracive office for the short body of Master Peter Rainham. The
two angry gentlemen plunged and struggled impotently to free
themselves from their guardians and hurl themselves at each other's
throats. They might as well have tried to free themselves from clamps
of iron. To the master-muscled Garlinge and Clupp--a strong Gyas, a
strong Cloanthes, no less--they were no more difficult to restrain
than would have been a brace of puling babes. Even their speech was
not free to make amends for their captivity, for they were so brimful
of choler and had so roared and shrieked their rage ere this that the
torrent of their fury spent itself in vacant mouthings and
splutterings. Sir Blaise eyed the brawlers with exceeding disfavor.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," he entreated, "be calm, I beg of you."

At the sound of his voice the disputants found theirs, or rat