In the interim, at your service,

NEIL SEMPLE.

He had already selected Adrian Beekman as his second. He was a young

man of wealth and good family, exceedingly anxious for social

distinction, and, moreover, so fastidiously honourable that Neil felt

himself in his hands to be beyond reproach. As he anticipated, Beekman

accepted the duty with alacrity, and, indeed, so promptly carried out

his principal's instructions, that he found Captain Hyde still sleeping

when he waited upon him. But Hyde was neither astonished nor annoyed. He

laughed lightly at "Mr. Semple's impatience of offence," and directed

Mr. Beekman to Captain Earle as his second; leaving the choice of swords

and of the ground entirely to his direction.

"A more civil, agreeable, handsome gentleman, impossible it would be to

find; and I think the hot haughty temper of Neil is to blame in this

affair," was Beekman's private comment. But he stood watchfully by his

principal's interests, and affected a gentlemanly disapproval of Captain

Hyde's behaviour.

And lightly as Hyde had taken the challenge, he was really more

disinclined to fight than Neil was. In his heart he knew that Semple had

a just cause of anger; "but then," he argued, "Neil is a proud, pompous

fellow, for whom I never assumed a friendship. His father's hospitality

I regret in any way to have abused; but who the deuce could have

suspected that Neil Semple was in love with the adorable Katherine? In

faith, I did not at the first, and now 'tis too late. I would not resign

the girl for my life; for I am sensible that life, if she is another's,

will be a very tedious thing to me."

All day Neil was busy in making his will, and in disposing of his

affairs. He knew himself well enough to be certain, that, if he struck

the first blow, he would not hesitate to strike the death blow, and that

nothing less than such conclusion would satisfy him. Hyde also

anticipated a deathly persistence of animosity in his opponent, and felt

equally the necessity for some definite arrangement of his business.

Unfortunately, it was in a very confused state. He owed many debts of

honour, and Cohen's bill was yet unsettled. He drank a cup of coffee,

wrote several important letters, and then went to Fraunce's, and had a

steak and a bottle of wine. During his meal his thoughts wandered

between Katherine and the Jew Cohen. After it he went straight to

Cohen's store.

It happened to be Saturday; and the shutters were closed, though the

door was slightly open, and Cohen was sitting with his granddaughter in

the cool shadows of the crowded place. Hyde was not in a ceremonious

mood, and he took no thought of it being the Jew's sabbath. He pushed

wider the door, and went clattering into their presence; and with an air

of pride and annoyance the Jew rose to meet him. At the same time, by a

quick look of intelligence, he dismissed Miriam; but she did not retreat

farther than within the deeper shadows of some curtains of stamped

Moorish leather, for she anticipated the immediate departure of the

intruder.




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