Halfman drew his hand across his forehead as a man who seeks to dissipate ill dreams. Then, with a tranquil face, he gave Blaise the attention he petitioned. "How so?" he asked. Any business were a pleasing change from his sick thoughts. "Why, I am a justice of the peace for these parts," Sir Blaise said, "and I am importuned by two honest neighbors to process of law against your lady." Halfman laughed unpleasantly. "The Lady Brilliana's wish is the law of this country-side, I promise you." He grinned maliciously and fingered at his sword-hilt. Sir Blaise felt exceedingly uncomfortable. Here was no promising beginning for a solemn judicial errand. But the knight had a mighty high sense of his own importance, and he felt himself shielded, as it were, from the tempers of this fire-eater by the dignity of his office and the majesty of the law. So he came to his business with a manner as pompous as he could muster. "Master Rainham and Master Hungerford are exceedingly angry," he asserted. Halfman flouted him and his clients. "Because she bobbed them so bravely? The knaves came raving to our gates when they found how they had been tricked into picking each other's pockets. But I made them take to their heels, I promise you. You should have seen their fool faces at the sight of a musket's muzzle." Sir Blaise looked righteously indignant. "Sir, sir," he protested, "muskets will not mend matters if these gentlemen have been wronged. They came hot-foot to me, and in the interests of peace I have entreated them hither. They wait without in the care of two of your people to keep them from flying at each other's throats." Halfman heard the distressing news with equanimity. "Why not let them kill each other?" he suggested, blandly. Blaise lifted his hands in horror. "Friend," he said, "in this mission I am a man of peace. Will you acquaint your lady?" Halfman grunted acquiescence. "Oh, ay; bring in your boobies." He turned on his heel and swung out through the doorway into the garden. Sir Blaise looked after him for a moment disapprovingly, then he went to the door by which he had entered, and, opening it, called aloud, "This way, gentlemen, this way." XXIV A HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE