nsulting."

"Yes, he has insulted every one of us. He must fight."

Oscar laughed and asked:

"Do you wish me to fight the whole gang?"

"Hear him! he denominates us 'the gang'!"

"Certainly, you are a gang of thieves. I can see that I have been
inveigled in here. This is a trumped-up charge against me; but I repeat,
I defy you. Do your worst."

"Get the swords," called Girard.

"Who will fight him?"

"I will," said the attendant suddenly stepping forward. "Yes, gentlemen,
I will fight him. It is not proper that gentlemen like you should
besmirch yourselves by fighting with a low-bred scoundrel like this
fellow. I am his match; he belongs to my class. He and I will meet on
equal terms. I will settle him, gentlemen, and afford you some rich and
excellent amusement."

"Henri," said Girard, "you are not a swordsman."

"I will prove to you, my master, that I am swordsman enough to fight
this wretch who has forced himself into your presence to act as a spy.
Yes, sir, I will teach him a lesson."

Oscar could not discern what the real purpose of the men was. It
appeared somewhat like a farce to him, and yet their trick was one that
has often been played. They could in case of need make out that it was a
case of assault, where one man had sought the life of another. Indeed,
there had been several cases of a like character in New York. In one
case the men had claimed that a duel had been forced upon another; and
again a case had been known where it was made to appear that there had
been a murderous assault, and of course there were plenty of witnesses,
and the law is compelled to accept the testimony of unimpeached
witnesses. While in both cases alluded to the police were convinced a
cold-blooded murder had been committed, they were unable to prove it,
however, and the assassins went free. Here were four men who could
testify as they chose, and the chances were that as far as the courts
were concerned they were reputable witnesses. The latter was the game
our hero calculated the men meant to work on him. They had deliberately
planned his murder, and the chances would have been dead against him but
for the little tick-tick, and that singular tick-tick told a wondrous
story; but even with this in his favor the chances were against Oscar
when he conceived a plan as cunning as the one that was being played
against him.

CHAPTER VI.

OSCAR CONCEIVES A PLAN AND A REMARKABLE DENOUEMENT FOLLOWS--COOLNESS
AND PLUC