"I am commandant of this fortress!"
"Of course," said the master, quietly; "so you struck the Queen's guest."
"You are my prisoner!"
"Well," Brand laughed, "that gets you off all right—don't have to fight when you're frightened."
The Duke was beside himself with rage. "Now you're trying to back out! You shall fight me, sir! You shall fight!"
Mr. Brand rose. "Then," he said, "name your weapons."
So Gloucester, instead of delivering Brand a prisoner to the Lord Protector, must give the delay and the courtesies of a duel.
But Prince Ali understood. "Allow me," he said graciously; "sir, as a witness to this quarrel, may I venture——"
"Well, what have you got to say?" Gloucester was on dangerous ground, and seeing the position, the American intervened. "Look here, gentlemen, this situation is too damned delicate for a plain man. What passes between her Majesty's Commandant and a prisoner charged with high treason—well, I'm not a party to the conversation—so I'm going to clear out."
Gloucester shrank back aghast, for he saw that he had been entrapped again by his antagonist.