"The answer to an insult! What insult?"
"You know; I shall not demean myself to repeat the words."
So this was what she had been told! Well, I could block that lie with a sentence.
"Miss Hardy," I asked soberly, "are you aware that your father refused to act for Captain Le Gaire, but went to the field as my second?"
"No," her whole expression indicative of surprise. "Impossible!"
"But it was not impossible, for it was true. Captain Bell had to be send for to second Le Gaire, and he did it under protest. Do you imagine your father would have taken my part if I had uttered one word reflecting upon you?"
She attempted to speak, but failed, and I took advantage of the silence.
"Major Hardy is in the hall, and will corroborate all I say. Perhaps I ought not to attempt my own defence, but this misunderstanding is too grave to continue. There is too much at stake in your life and mine. From what you have already said it is evident you have been deceived--probably that deception did not end merely with the commencement of the quarrel."
"Did--did Major Hardy truly second you?" she interrupted, apparently dazed. "I--I can hardly comprehend."
"He did; he even volunteered to do so. Le Gaire charged you with being unduly intimate with me, and your father resented his words. The man began threatening as soon as I entered the room, and finally struck me across the face, daring me to an encounter. I am no duellist; this was my first appearance in that role; but I could never have retained my self-respect and refused to meet him."