I answer that I know not, but I do know that the discontented and mutinous of the land do look upon him with too favorable a regard. And his loyalty is of that tender age that it may well be susceptible to the influence of the evil eye." The Governor, who was now in a white heat of passion, stopped for breath. "Sir William Berkeley, you shall answer to me for this!" said the Surveyor-General, with white lips. "With all the pleasure in life," said the Governor, clapping his hand to his rapier. Carrington folded his arms. "Not now," he said, with stern courtesy. "I believe your Excellency sleeps at Verney Manor? I, too, am invited thither. There, and it please you, we will adjust our little difference. For the present, you are my guest." The Governor choked down his passion, though with difficulty. "Till to-night then—" he began, when Colonel Verney interposed. "Neither to-night, nor at any other time," he said sturdily. "Gadzooks! have not his Majesty’s servants enough on hand without employing their time in pinking one another? Here are the Chickahominies restive, and those plaguy Ricahecrians amongst us, and the Nansemond Independents prophesying the end of the world, and the witches’ trial coming on, and the Quakers to be routed out, and on top of it all this story that Ludlow brings of a redemptioner’s assertion that there is afoot an Oliverian plot. And his Majesty’s Governor, and his Majesty’s Surveyor-General with drawn rapiers! For shame, gentlemen! Major Carrington, my good friend and neighbor, for whose loyalty to our present gracious sovereign I would answer for as I would for my own, forget the hasty words which I am sure Sir William Berkeley already regrets. Come, Sir William, acknowledge that you were over-choleric." "I ’ll be d—d if I do!" cried the Governor. "We meet to-night," said the Surveyor-General. The Colonel turned to Sir Charles Carew, who had been a highly amused spectator of this little scene. "Charles," he said impressively, "report hath it that you have figured in more affairs of honor than any man of your age at court. You should be a nice judge of such gear. Join me in assuring these gentlemen that they may be reconciled, and their honor receive not the least taint; and so avert a duel which would be a scandal to the community, and a menace to the state." Sir Charles glanced from the pacific Colonel to the sternly collected Surveyor-General, and thence to the fiery Governor, whose white, jeweled fingers twitched with impatience. "Certainly, sir," he said lazily, "you are welcome to my poor opinion, which is that, considering the nature of the provocation, and the standing of the parties, there is one way out of the affair with honor." "Exactly!" said the Colonel eagerly.