“To Col. Angus Anglesea—Sir: You are not only a disgrace to your uniform, but a dishonor to the human form! You are a thief, a liar and a coward! I have written your character in ink, and I mean to seal it in blood! The bearer of this will meet any man you may appoint to make arrangements. I have the honor to be,
“Le Force.”
“The boy is mad!” said the rector, as he returned the paper and wiped his spectacles.
“And now, what is to be done?” inquired the squire.
“‘What’s to be done?’” exclaimed Miss Sibby, excitedly. “There ain’t but one thing to be done! You are a justice of the peace, and ought to know what that is! Here I lay a complaint, and lay before you the evidence that two young men are planning a breach of the peace that may end in murder or hanging, or the State prison, at the least, and you ask what’s to be done! I’ll tell you, then! Give out a warrant to take ’em both up, and fetch ’em before you, and make ’em give bonds to keep the peace, or else send ’em to prison! Let’s you and me deal by our own young rascals just as we would by any other’s. I make the complaint. You give out the warrant and haul ’em up for judgment. Now, I have done my duty. You do your’n!”
“But my poor Le! And he acts in vindication of my daughter!” sighed the squire.
“‘Poor Le,’ indeed! It would be poor Le if he was between the four walls of a jail, waiting of his trial for murder! Haul ’em up, squire! Haul ’em up! Make the two young wilyuns—as will break our hearts if you don’t—give bonds to keep the peace! It’s onpleasant, I know, but not half as onpleasant as murder and hanging.”
“I suppose I must issue the warrants,” sighed the squire.
“Well, then why don’t you do it? Take time by the forelock, sez I. There ain’t no time to lose, I tell you that! For, you know, though I interslipted the challenge, and my scamp took a blank in place of it, that won’t stop the duel; it will only put it off a little while; it will be fought, all the same, unless them young rascals of ours is took up!”
“I think Miss Sibby is right, squire. I see no way to prevent mischief, except by arresting the two young men and holding them in custody for a while. You need not send them to the common jail. You can keep them here,” urged the rector.