All heard the word, and all held their breath. Ewan stood a moment as if rooted to the spot, and his pallid face whitened every instant. Then he fell back, and took the girl-wife by the hand and turned away with her, his head down, his very heart surging itself out of his choking breast. And, as he passed through the throng, to carry away from that scene the madness that was working in his brain, he overheard the mocking comments of the people. "Aw, well, well, did ye hear that now?--called him a liar, and not a word to say agen it." "A liar! Och, a liar? and him a parzon, too!" "Middling chicken-hearted, anyways--a liar! Aw, well, well, well!" At that Ewan flung away the hand of his wife, and, quivering from head to foot, he strode toward Dan. "You've called me a liar," he said, in a shrill voice that was like a cry. "Now, you shall prove your word--you shall fight me--you shall, by God." He was completely carried away by passion. "The parzon, the parzon!" "Man alive, the young parzon!" the people muttered, and they closed around. Dan stood a moment. He looked down from his great height at Ewan's quivering form and distorted face. Then he turned about and glanced into the faces of the people. In another instant his eyes were swimming in tears; he took a step toward Ewan, flung his arms about him, and buried his head in his neck, and the great stalwart lad wept like a little child. In another moment Ewan's passion was melted away, and he kissed Dan on the cheek. "Blubbering cowards!" "Aw, blatherskites!" "Och, man alive, a pair of turtle-doves!" Dan lifted his head and looked around, raised himself to his full height, clinched his fists, and said: "Now, my lads, you did your best to make a fight, and you couldn't manage it. I won't fight my cousin, and he shan't fight me; but if there's a man among you would like to know for himself how much of a coward I am, let him step out--I'm ready." Not a man budged an inch. CHAPTER IX THE SERVICE ON THE SHORE