“Good Heavens, Alick!—Here!—Here is my hand! I go with you now heart and soul! I am not bloodthirsty, and I want no man’s life; but I do hope you will cripple that fellow for the rest of his days!” fervently exclaimed Francis Tredegar, clasping his hand into Alexander’s palm.
“I did not wish—I did not mean to mention her dear name in this connection; circumstances and necessity have forced it from me. Treat it as a sacred confidence, Tredegar.”
“By my soul I will!”
“And listen to this: the fault, the folly, the madness belong to me and to that man. She is blameless!—yes, blameless as any holy angel. I swear it by all my hopes of Heaven!”
The entrance of the waiter with a tray put an end to the conversation for the time being.
The friends took each a cup of coffee, a muffin, and a chop, and then went down-stairs and entered the cab that was already packed for their journey.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE DUEL.
Blood! he will have blood!—Shakespeare.
As Alexander and his party entered the fly that was to take them to the station, they observed the crested coach and liveried servants of Prince Ernest coming around the next corner.
“Ah!” said Alexander. “We shall be at the station before them. I am glad of it. Our advance will enable us to take a whole carriage and avoid the possibility of going down in their company.”