left alone he put on a rough morning coat, and taking up
the pistol, placed it carefully in his pocket, and sallied forth. It
was manifest enough that he had some decided scheme in his head, for
he turned quickly towards the West when he reached the Strand, went
across Trafalgar Square to Pall Mall East, and then turned up Suffolk
Street. Just as he reached the club-house at the corner he paused and
looked back, facing first one way and then the other. "The chances
are that I shall never see anything of it again," he said to himself.
Then he laughed in his own silent way, shook his head slightly, and
turning again quickly on his heel, walked up the street till he
reached the house of Mr Jones, the pugilistic tailor. The reader, no
doubt, has forgotten all he ever knew of Mr Jones, the pugilistic
tailor. It can soon be told again. At Mr Jones's house John Grey
lodged when he was in London, and he was in London at this moment.

Vavasor rang the bell, and as soon as the servant came he went
quickly into the house, and passed her in the passage. "Mr Grey is at
home," he said. "I will go up to him." The girl said that Mr Grey was
at home, but suggested that she had better announce the gentleman.
But Vavasor was already halfway up the stairs, and before the girl
had reached the first landing place, he had entered Mr Grey's room
and closed the door behind him.

Grey was sitting near the open window, in a dressing-gown, and was
reading. The breakfast things were on the table, but he had not as
yet breakfasted. As soon as he saw George Vavasor, he rose from his
chair quickly, and put down his book. "Mr Vavasor," he said, "I
hardly expected to see you in my lodgings again!"

"I dare say not," said Vavasor; "but, nevertheless, here I am." He
kept his right hand in the pocket which held the pistol, and held his
left hand under his waistcoat.

"May I ask why you have come?" said Grey.

"I intend to tell you, at any rate, whether you ask me or not. I have
come to declare in your own hearing,--as I am in the habit of doing
occasionally behind your back,--that you are a blackguard,--to spit
in your face, and defy you." As he said this he suited his action to
his words, but without any serious result. "I have come here to see
if you are man enough to resent any insult that I can offer you; but
I doubt whether you are."

"Nothing that you can say to me, Mr Vavasor, will have any effect
upon me;--except that you can, of course, ann