. Maurice, starting up in his chair.

"Fact, I assure you. Margharita told me that he was going to be
troublesome, but I'd no idea that he was such a little spitfire. I
landed two hours ago, and came straight here. I'd scarcely had a tub,
and made myself decent, when in the little beggar walks, and kicks up no
end of a row. I listened for a bit, and then told him to go to hell. In
five minutes he'd got the whole thing arranged, seconds and all.
To-morrow morning, at 6.30, on the sands, 'll see me a dead man, if he
can use his tools as well as he can talk, little beast."

"Briscoe, this is a horrible mess," Lord St. Maurice declared
emphatically. "I don't know what you think of duels; I hate them."

"It isn't duels I hate, it's the being spitted," Briscoe answered
gloomily. "I can fence a bit, but it's always been with foils. I'm not
used to swords, and I expect that fellow is a regular 'don' at it.
There's a sort of corpse-like look about him, anyway. Got any 'baccy,
St. Maurice? Mine's so beastly dry."

"Help yourself, old fellow. Who the devil's that?"

There was a knock at the door, and one of the servants of the hotel
appeared. With some difficulty, for he was a native, and spoke French
execrably, he explained that there were some gentlemen below who desired
to speak with Lord St. Maurice.

The two men exchanged glances.

"My time has come, you see," Lord St Maurice remarked grimly. "Wait for
me."

In the deserted _salle a manger_ the French officer and one of the
Palermitan gentlemen were talking together. The latter approached Lord
St. Maurice and drew him on one side.

"I do not know how you may be situated here for friends, Lord St.
Maurice," he said, "but I felt that you would only consider it courteous
of me to offer my services to you in case you are without a second in
this affair. My father wrote to me from Rome of your visit here, and I
went to your yacht to call this afternoon. My name is Pruccio--Signor
Adriano Pruccio."

Lord Maurice bowed.

"I remember your father quite well," he said, "and I am glad to commence
our acquaintance by accepting the favor you offer. Will you be so good
as to make all the necessary arrangements with the Count Marioni's
second, and let me know the result."

The Palermitan withdrew into a corner of the room with the Frenchman,
and a few minutes' whispered conversation took place between them. Then
he rejoined Lord St. Maurice, who was standing at the window.