I gave the required pledge; while Power, springing into the saddle, left me to my own reflections. My frame of mind as Power left me was by no means an enviable one. A quarrel is rarely a happy incident in a man’s life, still less is it so when the difference arises with one we are disposed to like and respect. Such was Hammersley. His manly, straightforward character had won my esteem and regard, and it was with no common scrutiny I taxed my memory to think what could have given rise to the impression he labored under of my having injured him. His chance mention of Trevyllian suggested to me some suspicion that his dislike of me, wherefore arising I knew not, might have its share in the matter; and in this state of doubt and uncertainty I paced impatiently up and down, anxiously watching for Power’s return in the hope of at length getting some real insight into the difficulty. My patience was fast ebbing, Power had been absent above an hour, and no appearance of him could I detect, when suddenly the tramp of a horse came rapidly up the hill. I looked out and saw a rider coming forward at a very fast pace. Before I had time for even a guess as to who it was, he drew up, and I recognized Captain Trevyllian. There was a certain look of easy impertinence and half-smiling satisfaction about his features I had never seen before, as he touched his cap in salute, and said,-- “May I have the honor of a few words’ conversation with you?” I bowed silently, while he dismounted, and passing his bridle beneath his arm, walked on beside me. “My friend Captain Hammersley has commissioned me to wait upon you about this unpleasant affair--” “I beg pardon for the interruption, Captain Trevyllian, but as I have yet to learn to what you or your friend alludes, perhaps it may facilitate matters if you will explicitly state your meaning.” He grew crimson on the cheek as I said this, while, with a voice perfectly unmoved, he continued,-- “I am not sufficiently in my friend’s confidence to know the whole of the affair in question, nor have I his permission to enter into any of it, he probably presuming, as I certainly did myself, that your sense of honor would have deemed further parley and discussion both unnecessary and unseasonable.” “In fact, then, if I understand, it is expected that I should meet Captain Hammersley for some reason unknown--” “He certainly desires a meeting with you,” was the dry reply. “And as certainly I shall not give it, before understanding upon what grounds.” “And such I am to report as your answer?” said he, looking at me at the moment with an expression of ill-repressed triumph as he spoke.