o less a personage than Falkner
Sewin.

I repeat, I chuckled, for there was a side of the situation which
appealed to my sense of humour. Falkner Sewin's temper and dignity
alike were ruffled. There was going to be a row. Falkner had long
wanted taking down a peg. It was highly probable that the said lowering
process would now be effected.

In about a moment I was at the window. The contending parties, by
neither of whom was I observed, were drawn up in battle array. Falkner,
who had apparently just arrived on horseback, had dismounted, and was
advancing upon Kendrew in a sort of prize ring attitude. The latter for
his part, simply stood and waited, his face wearing an expression of
indifference that might be extremely provoking. No, I was not going to
interfere--not yet. A little bloodletting would do Falkner no harm--or,
for the matter of that, either of them.

"Come on," sung out the latter. "Come on, can't you. Not afraid, are
you?"

"Not much. I'm waiting for you."

Then they went at it--hammer and tongs. Falkner had science--I could
see that--but Kendrew was as hard as nails, and a precious tough
customer to handle, and made up for his lack of science by consummate
coolness; and with an eye keen as a hawk's whenever he saw his chance,
he confined himself so far to standing his ground, the while Falkner
waltzed round him, for all the world like a dog on the seashore when
yapping round some big crab which he doesn't feel quite equal to closing
in upon. For a little while I watched these manoeuvres in a state of
semi-choke for stifled laughter, till they got to work in earnest, and
then, by Jingo, it was no child's play.

"Time!" I sung out stentoriously. "Haven't you two fellows pummelled
each other enough?" I went on, appearing before the combatants.
"What's it all about, any way?"

"Glanton--by the Lord!" ejaculated Falkner, startled, and, I fancied,
looking a trifle ashamed of himself.

"What's it all about?" repeated Kendrew. "Well, you see, Glanton, I
ain't naturally a quarrelsome chap, but when a man comes onto my place,
and begins upon me in a God Almighty `haw-haw' sort of tone as `my good
fellow' and doesn't even condescend to tell me who he is when asked, why
it's enough to get my back up, isn't it?"

I thought it was, but I wasn't going to say so, and his allusion to "my
place" made me smile.

"Look here," I said decisively. "This is all a misunderstanding. You
didn't kno