"I will excuse Mr. Thatford from acting as my second."
"Will you accept me?" demanded Girard.
"No, I will not accept you. I anticipated that you fellows might be part of a gang of thieves and I prepared to meet you. No, no, gentlemen, you have not got this all your own way. I do not propose to be murdered like a caged rat, I assure you."
The men glared. There had come a complete change over our hero, and indeed Oscar had laid out his whole campaign.
"You fellows are thieves," he said, "thieves and murderers. I believe you are the parties who murdered a young man who has been missing for some months, and I further believe he was made a victim in some such way as you planned to make a victim of me; but, my dear rascals, I won't have it."
The men began to assume menacing attitudes, while exchanging glances.
It was evident they were surprised, but a greater surprise was in store for them as our hero exclaimed:
"The opening act is over. We will now bring on the tragedy."
Oscar stamped his foot, the door opened, and to the surprise of the men a boyish-looking youth stepped in the room. Indeed they did stare, and Oscar said:
"See, I anticipated your moves. Here is my second; this young man will see that I have fair play."