honor,
and a shuprame reygard for the sancteties of loife, requoire that any
voioleetion, howivir onintintional, be submitted and subjicted to the
only tribunal of chivalry--the eencient and maydoayval orjil of the
jool."

I confess I was affected, and deeply, by the lofty attitude which
O'Halloran assumed. He hadn't the slightest hard feeling toward me. He
wasn't in the smallest degree jealous. He was simply a calm adherent to
a lofty and chivalrous code. His honor had been touched ignorantly, no
doubt--yet still it had been touched, and he saw no other course to
follow than the one laid down by chivalry.

"My friend," said I, enthusiastically, "I appreciate your delicacy, and
your lofty sentiment. This is true chivalry. You surpass yourself. You
are sublime!"

"I know I am," said O'Halloran, naively.

A tear trembled in his eye. He did net seek to conceal his generous
emotion. That tear rolled over and dropped into his tumbler, and
hallowed the draught therein.

"So then," said I, "we are to have a meeting--but where, and when?"

"Whinivir it shoots you, and wherivir. I'm afraid it'll take you out of
your wee. We'll have to go off about twinty moiles. There's a moighty
convaynient place there, I'm sorry it's not nayrer, but it can't be
helped. I've had three or fower maytings there mesilf this last year.
You'll be deloighted with it whin you once get there. There's good
whiskey there too. The best in the country. We'll go there."

"And when?"

"Well, well--the seconds may areenge about that. How'll nixt Monday
do?"

"Delightfully, if it suits you."

"Oh, I'll be shooted at any toime."

"What shall we meet with?" I asked.

"Sure that's for you to decoide."

"Pistols," I suggested.

O'Halloran nodded.

"I really have no preference. I'll leave it to you if you like," said
I.

O'Halloran rose--a benevolent smile illumined his face. He pressed my
hand.

"Me boy," said he, with the same paternal tone which he had thus far
maintained, "don't mintion it. Aihter will do. We'll say pistols. Me
boy, ye're as thrue as steel--" He paused, and then wringing my hand,
he said in a voice tremulous with emotion--"Me boy, ye're an honor to
yer sex!"

CHAPTER XXVII.

SENSATIONAL!--TERRIFIC!--TREMENDOUS!--I LEAVE THE HOUSE IN A STRANGE
WHIRL.--A STORM.--THE DRIVING SLEET.--I WANDER ABOUT.--THE VOICES OF
THE STORM, AND OF THE RIVER.--THE CLANGOR OF THE BELLS.--THE SHADOW IN
THE DOORWAY.--THE MYSTERIOUS