Audrey

The two men, left alone, turned each toward the interior of the store, and

their eyes met. Alike in gray eyes and in dark blue there was laughter.

"Kittle folk, the Quakers," said the storekeeper, with a shrug, and went

to put away his case of pins and needles. Haward, going to the end of the

store, found a row of dusty bottles, and breaking the neck of one with a

report like that of a pistol set the Madeira to his lips, and therewith

quenched his thirst. The wine cellar abutted upon the library. Taking off

his riding glove he ran his finger along the bindings, and plucking forth

The History of a Coy Lady looked at the first page, read the last

paragraph, and finally thrust the thin brown and gilt volume into his

pocket. Turning, he found himself face to face with the storekeeper.

"I have not the honor of knowing your name, sir," remarked the latter

dryly. "Do you buy at this store, and upon whose account?"

Haward shook his head, and applied himself again to the Madeira.

"Then you carry with you coin of the realm with which to settle?"

continued the other. "The wine is two shillings; the book you may have for

twelve-pence."

"Here I need not pay, good fellow," said Haward negligently, his eyes

upon a row of dangling objects. "Fetch me down yonder cane; 't is as

delicately tapered and clouded as any at the Exchange."

"Pay me first for the wine and the book," answered the man composedly.

"It's a dirty business enough, God knows, for a gentleman to put finger

to; but since needs must when the devil drives, and he has driven me here,

why, I, Angus MacLean, who have no concerns of my own, must e'en be

faithful to the concerns of another. Wherefore put down the silver you owe

the Sassenach whose wine you have drunken and whose book you have taken."

"And if I do not choose to pay?" asked Haward, with a smile.

"Then you must e'en choose to fight," was the cool reply. "And as I

observe that you wear neither sword nor pistols, and as jack boots and a

fine tight-buttoned riding coat are not the easiest clothes to wrestle in,

it appears just possible that I might win the cause."

"And when you've thrown me, what then?"

"Oh, I would just draw a rope around you and yonder cask of Jamaica, and

leave you to read your stolen book in peace until Saunderson (that's the

overseer, and he's none so bad if he was born in Fife) shall come. You can

have it out with him; or maybe he'll hale you before the man that owns the

store. I hear they expect him home."