"Oh yes, she's handsome enough. Then the affair is serious?" "Serious?" said Sir Harry, lowering his voice. "Rockley swears he'll kill him." Colonel Mellersh looked very grave. "They'll have to meet, then?" "Meet, my dear sir! Rockley says he'll lie in wait for him and shoot him like a dog if he doesn't come out. Fancy, you know, beaten like that before a lady!" "And such a lady as Claire Denville," said Colonel Mellersh, with a sneer. "Well," he added, changing his manner, "I'm very sorry." "Yes, so am I. Rockley's deuced haughty, and bullying, and overbearing, particularly lately--things seem to have gone wrong with him--but he's not a bad fellow." "As men go," said the Colonel with a sneer. "Exactly--as men go," replied Sir Harry, whose brains were not very analytical as regarded _double entendre_. Just then Richard Linnell reached the door, encountered Cora Dean, and was finally beckoned into Colonel Mellersh's room. "My dear Linnell," said the Colonel gravely, as the others exchanged distant bows, "Sir Harry Payne has called on behalf of Major Rockley--as his friend." He watched Linnell's face intently, but there was only a slight contraction of the brows. "Bravo!" said the Colonel to himself. "He's staunch." "Mellersh," said Linnell gravely, "I have no friend to whom I can appeal but you in a case like this." "I would far rather leave it," said Colonel Mellersh slowly; "but perhaps if you leave the affair in my hands, Sir Harry Payne and I may be able to arrange for a peaceful issue. Major Rockley may be ready to withdraw or apologise." "S'death, sir!" cried Sir Harry; "apologise for being horsewhipped!" "I beg pardon," said the Colonel. "You see, I am not properly acquainted with the matter." "There can be no apology, Colonel Mellersh," said Linnell, with a grave dignity that made the Colonel's eyes light up. "I leave myself in your hands, and I shall be most grateful." "But--" "I need say no more," said the young man. "Of course, I know what Sir Harry Payne's visit means, and I am ready when and where you will." He bowed and left the room with all the formality of the time; and when, about a quarter of an hour later, Sir Harry Payne went away, the young officer uttered a contemptuous sneer. "'Pon my soul," he muttered, "it is horribly degrading for Rockley. The fellow really is no better than a fiddler after all." Volume Two, Chapter IV. A LESSON IN PISTOL PRACTICE. The reason for Sir Harry Payne's sneering remark was patent to Colonel Mellersh as soon as he opened the door, for from the Linnells' rooms came the sweet harmonies of a couple of exquisitely-played violins, and for a few minutes the Colonel seemed to forget the trouble on hand, as he stood with his face softened, and one delicate hand waving to the rhythm of the old Italian music.