sed point-blank to tell me,
and I am perfectly ignorant of the whole affair."

Denis hesitated. Was it fair and honest to prejudice Mowbray against
the boy? but on the contrary, was not the whole affair now explained
as a simple jest, and would there be harm in telling what the young
student had said to provoke him? The young man hesitated, and said:

"I don't know--it was a mere jest; there is no use in opening the
subject again----"

"Ah, Jack!" said Mowbray, "I see that I am to live and die in
ignorance, for I repeat that Hoffland would not tell me. With all the
carelessness of a child, he seems to possess the reserve of a
politician or a woman."

"A strange character, is he not?" said Denis.

"Yes; and yet he has won upon me powerfully."

"Your acquaintance is very short," said poor Denis, his heart sinking
at the thought of having so handsome and graceful a rival as the boy.

"Very," returned Mowbray; "but he positively took me by storm."

"And you like him?"

"To be sincere--exceedingly."

"Why?" muttered Denis.

"Really, I can scarcely say," replied his friend; "but he is a mere
boy; seems to be wholly without friends; and he has virtually yielded
to me the guidance of all his affairs. This may seem an absurd reason
for liking Hoffland; but that is just my weak side, Jack. When any one
comes to me and says, 'I am weak and inexperienced, you are in a
position to aid and assist me; be my friend;' how can I refuse?"

"And Hoffland----"

"Has done so? Yes."

"Humph!"

"Besides this, he is a mere boy; and to speak frankly, is so
affectionate and winning in his demeanor toward me, that I really have
not the courage to repel his advances. Strange young man! at times I
know not what to think of him. He is alternately a child, a woman, and
a matured man in character; but most often a child."

"Indeed?" said Denis, whose heart sunk at every additional word
uttered by Mowbray; "how then did he display such willingness to
fight--and I will add, such careless bravado?"

"Because fighting was a mere word to him," said Mowbray; "I believe
that he no more realized the fact that you would direct the muzzle of
a pistol toward his breast, than that you would stab or poison him."

Denis wiped his brow.

"I didn't want to fight," he said; "but I was obliged to do
something."

"Was the provocation gross?"

"Pardon my question. I did not mean to return to the subject, inasmuch
as some reason for withholding