linger; and so,
after waiting long enough to allow the heat of the Canadian stove to
penetrate us, aided by the blended power of "somethin' warrum"
--and long enough also to give oats to the horses, which, after all,
must have had the worst of it--poor devils!--we started and dragged on
to the town.

All this time O'Halloran did not appear to have recognized Jack at all.
On the drive out this might have been accounted for, but, in the _Hotel
de France_, O'Halloran had a full and perfect inspection of him. If he
did recognize him, it certainly did not appear in his manner. He
exchanged words with Jack in a tone of hilarious cordiality, which did
not seem as though he considered Jack an enemy; and Jack, who never
failed to respond when greeted in such a way, met him more than
halfway. It was evident that O'Halloran had not the smallest idea that
Jack was that identical British officer whom he had expelled from his
house.

Of all the party the doctor seemed to have suffered most; and, on the
journey back, he kept up one prolonged growl at me. I was fated, he
said, to bring him bad luck, and I would be the death of him. Once
before he had ridden all night in the storm for me; and now here was
another fool's errand. He seemed inclined to consider it as a personal
insult, and actually felt aggrieved because O'Halloran's bullet had not
shattered my arm, or penetrated my brain. Thus he alternated between
shivering and swearing all the way back.

"I tell you what it is, Macrorie," he growled, "if you ever come to ask
my help again on any occasion whatever, I'll take it as a personal
insult. I wouldn't have come this time, but I thought it was to be an
affair of honor. An affair of honor! Rot and nonsense! Dragging a
fellow over the country all day to see a couple of pistols fired in the
air! What sort of a thing do you call that? And here am I--in for it
--yes--damn it, man!--I say again--in for it--to any extent--rheumatism,
neuralgia, gout, inflammation, and fifty other things! If I
thought you'd have any of them, I'd feel satisfied. But no--you're all
right, and can afford to sit there grinning at the sufferings of a
better man than yourself."

From which it will appear that the doctor was savage, and I was not.

On reaching Quebec, O'Halloran gave us all a comprehensive invitation
to dinner.

But the doctor could not accept it. He had taken cold, and would have
to go home. Jack could not accept it. He had a very pres