s a man of
courage.'

"'D----d fine talk in you--who--who's a fire-eater, Hartley. What do
you think, father--?' Hartley put, or rather attempted to put his hand
across his mouth, to prevent his cowardly and degrading communication;
but in vain. 'What do you think, father,' he continued, 'but there's
that cowardly scoundrel, young M'Loughlin, has sent me a challenge?
Isn't the country come to a pretty pass, when a Papist durst do such a
thing?'

"'Why not a Papist?' said Hartley. 'Has not a Papist flesh, and blood,
and bones, like another man? Is a Papist to be insensible to insult? Is
he to sit down tamely and meanly under disgrace and injury? Has he no
soul to feel the dignity of just resentment? Is he not to defend his
sister, when her character has been basely and treacherously ruined? Is
he to see her stretched on her death-bed, by your villainy, and not to
avenge her? By heavens, if, under the circumstances of the provocation
which you gave him, and his whole family, he would be as mean and
cowardly a poltroon as I find you to be--if he suffered--'

"'Do you call me a poltroon?' said Phil, so shivering and pale, that his
voice betrayed his cowardice.

"'Yes,' said the other, 'as arrant a poltroon as ever I met. I tell
you, you must either fight him, or publish a statement of your own
unparalleled disgrace. Don't think you shall get out of it.'

"'I tell you, sir,' said Val, 'that he shall not fight him. I would not
suffer a son of mine to put himself on a level with such a person as
young M'Loughlin.'

"'On a level with him he never will be, for no earthly advantage could
raise him to it; but pray, Mr. M'Clutchy, who are you?'

"'Val's brow fell, and his lip paled and quivered, as the fine young
fellow looked him steadily in the face.

"'Never mind him, father,' said Phil 'you know he's a fire-eater.'

"'There is no use in altercations of this sort,' replied Val, calmly.
'As for young M'Loughlin, or old M'Loughlin, if they think themselves
injured, they have the laws of the land to appeal to for redress. As for
us, we will fight them with other weapons besides pistols and firearms.'

"'D---- my honor,' said, Phil, 'if I'd stoop to fight any Papist. Aren't
they all rebels? And what gentleman would fight a rebel?'

"'Honor!' exclaimed Hartley; 'don't profane that sacred word--I can have
no more patience with such a craven-hearted rascal, who could stoop to
such base revenge against the unsullied reputat