"Holloa, Sir," rejoined Carl, "I thought as you warn't to interfere in this business. You were washing of your hands just now, you know."

"Who made you a ruler?" said Priminheere" a man in your trade had far better mind his business and stay at home, than wander about in this way, giving challenges and encouraging drunkenness.

"I'll tell thee what now," returned the blacksmith, "there is'nt one of thy tribe, as don't preach in public against the same things as they do amongst themselves a'terwards."

"You shall be handed over to lawyer Mummins tomorrow morning, I promise you," said the other.

"Lawyer Mummins, lawyer Mummins be; but I won't swear, I won't be so bad as thou art,-let's toss the Puritan in a blanket,” said Carl.

"Ah! Master Albert, Master Albert, where art thou going to?" continued the blacksmith, observing that Mr. Moonshine was silently stealing from the scene of action. "You'll not get off the fight so easy.

But Albert had contrived to shuffle on so as to elude his vociferous companions, although James Priminheere, who was more sober and collected, soon overtook him. Of the nature of their conversation we are not informed, but it is certain that nothing passed to avert the threatened duel, as will be found in the next chapter.

"Sir Toby.-Marry, he had better bethought him of his quarrel. "Viol.-Pray God, defend me! a little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man.

وو

Twelfth Night.

"MASTER ALBERT, Master Albert, whither so fast?" It was the rude rough voice of Carl Jones, who descried Mr. Moonshine pacing along his paddock with hurried steps, early on the second morning after the conversation just related.

"One, two, three, four,-twelve, twelve good strides, however," exclaimed Albert, not heeding the blacksmith.

"One, two, three-twelve! holloa, Master Albert," resumed Carl, "You ma'nt be crazy, Sir, on such a morning as this."

"Then ram the bullet well down, and present," continued Albert musing; "but no aim,-no, no, good; then drop the handkerchief and fire! Oh! what is it you, you cowardly knave?" perceiving Jones.

"Me indeed! yes, and I had like to have been knocked backwards with your "fire," said the other. "Sharp work, Carl," observed the Squire; "Now I'll show you how the matter will be settled to-day; do you go and stand opposite, there, twelve paces, a little nearer. Now I'll load my pistols."

"Excuse me, Master Albert, if you please,” cried Jones lustily: "Mercy on us, I must be going about my work."

go in

"Coward and slave, Carl," returned Albert, " to the kitchen and ask for a drop of ale to comfort thy frightened spirit."

"No coward and slave, Master Albert, but as for a drop of your good ale now, why to be sure its full early in the morning, but then there's none like unto it in all the country round. I'll soon come back to you again, and thank ye.-Never saw the Squire so brave before, said Jones to himself, as he moved towards the hospitable portal.

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Albert, my love, my little mignon, my dear, what are you doing in the paddock this damp morning?" said a female voice from a window in the adjoining house. "I am quite frightened, I declare, its so unusual for him to get up so early," added Mrs. Moonshine to her companion.

"It is very alarming indeed, Ma'am," replied the other, “and see how he strides about, and takes no notice of us at all.

"Do you, Buzzy, go to him, and tell him how concerned we are, and beg of him to come in," said Mrs. Moonshine.

"La, sure, Ma'am, and the grass is so wet, that I shall certainly bring on my lumbago, and all the series of catastrophes which we read of last night in Lonallan." "Buzzy, stuff, I say," returned the lady, "lumbago

for merely crossing the grass! what do you think I had you for?

"Really, Ma'am," said the companion, "its very hard; but see here is Tom, let Tom go,-do you go, Tom, to your master, and tell him with mamma's love, that she wants to speak with him."

"Albert, my darling," said Mrs. Moonshine to her son, who speedily obeyed the summons; "what are you engaged upon this morning? How very strange that you should be up two hours earlier, I positively declare, than I ever knew you?"

"Why, as to that, mother," replied Albert, carelessly, "I've had something to do in the paddock this morning, and what that is I won't tell."

Oh, fie! Mr. Albert," said the companion, "to keep such secrets."

"Let him alone! let my boy alone, Buzzy; I dare say he has good reasons for it," returned Mrs. Moonshine. "What was it, my dear?" continued she, approaching her son with a conciliating air.

"Don't know, mother," replied the youth briskly, to his disappointed parent. And he was abruptly quitting the room, when the servant announced that a gentlemen was waiting for Mr. Moonshine in a neighbouring apartment.

Tell him, I'll come-come directly," said Albert, but with an air which convinced his mother that his mind was not composed.

"There's something wrong, Buzzy," observed Mrs. Moonshine, very significantly. "I must find it out," she added, as Albert suddenly left them to attend his appointment. "Buzzy, do you go and listen at the door, quite gently! you must not be found out for the world -no, not for all the world!" she repeated with earnestness, lifting up her hands impressively.

66

But, gracious! Ma'am, I can't do such a thing, upon any account! I never listened at a door in my life!" exclaimed the affrighted lady to whom this order had been issued.

"Buzzy, you must. I never suspected him before of a secret. You shall-nay, now, dear, good Buzzy, do go, and make haste; consider, its for all our advantage! Come,-"and Mrs. Moonshine gently led the way to the

F

room where the conversation was going on, as she sup-
posed. Meanwhile, Albert and Captain O'Donogan had
met in the adjoining chamber, and from thence had
immediately adjourned to the garden, at the particular
request of the latter. The Captain had been very slight-
ly known to Mr. Moonshine, but, on hearing of the cir-
cumstance, he had volunteered his services as second.
Considering the tranquillity of the times with regard
to duelling, he might be called as singular a character
as his principal, for he was a great amateur of affairs
of honour, and was accustomed to enumerate them
among his
sports of the field." Indeed, he was al-
most the last professed representative of these chival-
ries, for the force of judicial menaces, and an imagined
increase of intellect in juries, are said to have intimi-
dated and dispersed all classes of combatants, together
with their abettors. However this be, Captain O'Dono-
gan, in conformity with the approved usage upon such
emergencies, left his bed at early morn with unusual
cheerfulness, and in spite of some difficulties which his
ignorance of the route occasioned, was at the house of
his new friend punctually (bating half a minute) to his
arrangement.

66

"And now," whispered he to the antagonist of Mortimer, are you ready? Has your servant got the-.' A sagacious and confidential nod communicated all that could be said upon the subject.

"Oh! they are within, in doors, Captain; I will fetch them presently, when I go to wish my mother goodb'ye."

"Wish his mother a good-b'ye! Powers! Oh, dear! Wish his mother

"I'll go now, if you will give me leave, Captain," said Albert.

"I ought to have had them yesterday night, Sir, according to strict rules; but see, now, five minutes after eight; come, we shall be late on the field.”

"There's plenty of time," returned the young man, "and pray walk in, and take a glass of wine, Captain, while I make one or two little arrangements, and give a few directions to my people."

66

Arrangements and directions! and-boo! Sir, I'll not walk in and drink a glass of wine with you! We

shall be beyond our time, which is an occurrence, permit me to say, Sir, which never happened to me since the days of my mother's grandfather."

"Wait, then, if you please, Captain O'Donogy-." 66 Captain O'Donogan, Sir, if you please! Why, sure, if the lad's arm doesn't shake. Come, Sir, I'll tell you, I'll do that for you I wouldn't do for my own brother, if I had one, (they've been all killed, poor souls! in particular ways,) I'll lend you my own-see here-choice ones; I always travel with them about with me."

66

Why, Captain!" said Albert, his native indifference making a struggle to get uppermost.

"Look you, Sir," returned the Captain, hurrying away his charge from the garden, from whence they reached the road through a private gate. "Look you, the other second is not always precisely the man he ought to be, or perhaps he is fond of a little sport himself, and in either case, the matter can be easily settled, if we have the weapons by us.

“Oh, surely!” cried Albert, with as much unconcern as he could muster. "Pray, Captain, if I may venture to ask, how many, fairly speaking-I merely put the question out of curiosity-how many escape, that is to say, have escaped, out of all the duels you have known?"

"Faith, an odd question," returned the Irishman, scanning the countenance of the inquirer with much disrespect. "I have had to do with a great many of these little affairs, and, on the whole, for your satisfaction I may say, that I have not known many men killed."

"An accident now and then only, Captain?" said Albert, whose manner but ill-corresponded with the inflexible immovableness of O'Donogan.

"My poor friend, Titus O'Shaugnessy, descended from the ancient Irish," observed the Captain, "fell at my feet, one day, in a business of this sort, with a poltroon of a civilian who could scarcely be brought into the field. The rascal! I silenced him, myself, afterwards.'

"You silenced him! how, Sir, for God's sake?" asked Albert with increasing emotion.

"Poor Titus!" replied the officer, brushing away a tear which had begun its march towards his cheek; "Oh yes! why, Sir, how? I made the fellow turn out