"Certainly. What follows?"
"My brother, Captain Protheroe, hath his sword."
"A sword!" he laughed. "Why so have I, madame."
"Verily, sir," she answered with a mocking laugh, "yonder it lies."
Captain Protheroe, in astonishment, glanced from her face of triumph to the distant corner where lay his discarded rapier.
"Damnation!" he muttered with a short angry laugh. "I had forgot."
"Aye, so I thought, sir," she answered, smiling scornfully. "And my brother is a better swordsman than I. Yet 'twas a prettily conceived story."
"Mistress Barbara, in good truth, I swear——"
"I have already heard more oaths this evening than I am accustomed to," she interrupted. "I will not trouble you to further tax your powers. I wish you good-evening, sir."
She rose to depart, but he stepped quickly before her, and leaned his back against the door.