r.

All this did not soothe my temper, and after an hour of it I was in
desperate ill-humour with the world. I had just reached the conclusion
that I had had as much as I wanted, when I heard Elspeth's voice
calling me.

"Come hither, Mr. Garvald," she said. "We have a dispute which a third
must settle. I favour the cherry, and Mr. Grey fancies the blue; but I
maintain that blue crowds cherry unfairly at the corners. Use your
eyes, sir, at the next turning."

I used my eyes, which are very sharp, and had no doubt of it.

"That is a matter for the Master of the Course," said Mr. Grey. "Will
you uphold your view before him, sir?"

I said that I knew too little of the sport to be of much weight as a
witness. To this he said nothing, but offered to wager with me on the
result of the race, which was now all but ending. "Or no," said he, "I
should not ask you that. A trader is careful of his guineas."

Elspeth did not hear, being intent on other things, and I merely
shrugged my shoulders, though my fingers itched for the gentleman's
ears.

In a little the racing ceased, and the ladies made ready to leave.
Doctor Blair appeared, protesting that the place was not for his cloth,
and gave Elspeth his arm to escort her to his coach. She cried a merry
good-day to us, and reminded Mr. Grey that he had promised to sup with
them on the morrow. When she had gone I spied a lace scarf which she
had forgotten, and picked it up to restore it.

This did not please the other. He snatched it from me, and when I
proposed to follow, tripped me deftly, and sent me sprawling among the
stools. As I picked myself up, I saw him running to overtake the
Blairs.

This time there was no discreet girl to turn the edge of my fury. All
the gibes and annoyances of the past months rushed into my mind, and
set my head throbbing. I was angry, but very cool with it all, for I
saw that the matter had now gone too far for tolerance. Unless I were
to be the butt of Virginia, I must assert my manhood.

I nicked the dust from my coat, and walked quietly to where Mr. Grey
was standing amid a knot of his friends, who talked of the races and
their losses and gains. He saw me coming, and said something which made
them form a staring alley, down which I strolled. He kept regarding me
with bright, watchful eyes.

"I have been very patient, sir," I said, "but there is a limit to what
a man may endure from a mannerless fool." And I gave him a hearty slap
on t