Not I, not I, exclaimed the haughty culprit: I will not condescend to answer to a charge, that is evidenced by a dog-feeder, contrived, abetted and encouraged by a mercenary attorney. I came to meet you here as brother sportsmen, I find you what I will not say. As for that attorney, whom I know to be in the pay and employ of my enemy, I hold him as a wretch too despicable for any notice on my own account; let him propagate and pursue his charge against me as he will, I care not; but I accuse him, and will have him prosecuted to the utmost rigour of the law, as the slanderer and defamer of my innocent and injured mother. Davis, who had entered the room, unseen of young Owen, and planted himself behind his chair, now stept forward, and demanded to know of what he was accused. It was not immediately that the arrogance of this hardened youth, thus taken by surprise, could recover from his embarrassment; at length, after some hesitation, being again called upon to explain himself, he turned to Davis with an assumed air of bravery, and said--I am given to understand you have not scrupled to affix upon my mother Mrs. Owen the abominable scandal of having secreted a valuable diamond ring, which appears in my uncle’s will as a legacy to Mrs. Cecilia De Lancaster; but which ring after the minutest search is no where to be found. This I aver to be a libel of the grossest sort. And so it would be, I confess, said Davis, were I not provided with evidence to prove that this same valuable diamond ring was found by Mrs. Owen, and by her consigned to the Jew Israel Lyons, under the seal of secresy, and upon security by him given for the value, to be by him taken out of the kingdom and sold in Holland on her account and for her emolument. I have the ring here in my hand ready to produce, the very ring, which was bequeathed by your uncle, and which you say could not be found amongst the effects of the deceased. Bear witness for me, gentlemen, I am compelled to produce this article in my own defence, and do not voluntarily disobey the positive injunctions of my worthy patron Mr. De Lancaster, who honourably commanded me to stifle the discovery, and put up with any injuries, rather than expose the parties to shame, so much more care had that good gentleman for them than they have had for themselves; but thus accused, and forced on my defence, what could I do but what I now have done? To this no answer was attempted: astonishment seized the company: Sir David Owen started from his seat, and glancing a malicious look upon our young hero as he passed him--I’ll not forget you, sir, he cried: the time will come when you shall hear of this. CHAPTER VII. _Events consequential of the Meeting at Sir Arthur Floyd’s. The last Chapter of the Second Book._