“Yes，Mr。Northmour，“returnedClara，withgreatspirit；“butthatiswhatyouwillneverdo。Youmadeabargainthatwasunworthyofagentleman；butyouareagentlemanforallthat，andyouwillneverdesertamanwhomyouhavebeguntohelp。“
　　“Aha！“saidhe。“YouthinkIwillgivemyyachtfornothing？YouthinkIwillriskmylifeandlibertyforloveoftheoldgentleman；andthen，Isuppose，hebestmanatthewedding，towindup？Well，“headded，withanoddsmile，“perhapsyouarenotaltogetherwrong。ButaskCassilishere。HEknowsme。AmIamantotrust？AmIsafeandscrupulous？AmIkind？“
　　“Iknowyoutalkagreatdeal，andsometimes，Ithink，veryfoolishly，“repliedClara，“butIknowyouareagentleman，andI
　　amnottheleastafraid。“
　　Helookedatherwithapeculiarapprovalandadmiration；then，turningtome，“DoyouthinkIwouldgiveherupwithoutastruggle，Frank？“saidhe。“Itellyouplainly，youlookout。Thenexttimewecometoblows——“
　　“Willmakethethird，“Iinterrupted，smiling。
　　“Aye，true；soitwill，“hesaid。“Ihadforgotten。Well，thethirdtime’slucky。“
　　“Thethirdtime，youmean，youwillhavethecrewofthe’RedEarl’
　　tohelp，“Isaid。
　　“Doyouhearhim？“heasked，turningtomywife。
　　“Iheartwomenspeakinglikecowards，“saidshe。“Ishoulddespisemyselfeithertothinkorspeaklikethat。Andneitherofyoubelieveonewordthatyouaresaying，whichmakesitthemorewickedandsilly。“
　　“She’satrump！“criedNorthmour。“Butshe’snotyetMrs。
　　Cassilis。Isaynomore。Thepresentisnotforme。“
　　Thenmywifesurprisedme。
　　“Ileaveyouhere，“shesaidsuddenly。“Myfatherhasbeentoolongalone。Butrememberthis:youaretobefriends，foryouarebothgoodfriendstome。“
　　Shehassincetoldmeherreasonforthisstep。Aslongassheremained，shedeclaresthatwetwowouldhavecontinuedtoquarrel；
　　andIsupposethatshewasright，forwhenshewasgonewefellatonceintoasortofconfidentiality。
　　Northmourstaredafterherasshewentawayoverthesandhill。
　　“Sheistheonlywomanintheworld！“heexclaimedwithanoath。
　　“Lookatheraction。“
　　I，formypart，leapedatthisopportunityforalittlefurtherlight。
　　“Seehere，Northmour，“saidI；“weareallinatightplace，arewenot？“
　　“Ibelieveyou，myboy，“heanswered，lookingmeintheeyes，andwithgreatemphasis。“Wehaveallhelluponus，that’sthetruth。
　　Youmaybelievemeornot，butI’mafraidofmylife。“
　　“Tellmeonething，“saidI。“Whataretheyafter，theseItalians？
　　WhatdotheywantwithMr。Huddlestone？“
　　“Don’tyouknow？“hecried。“Theblackoldscamphadcarbonarifundsonadeposit——twohundredandeightythousand；andofcoursehegambleditawayonstocks。TherewastohavebeenarevolutionintheTridentino，orParma；buttherevolutionisoff，andthewholewasp’snestisafterHuddlestone。Weshallallbeluckyifwecansaveourskins。“
　　“Thecarbonari！“Iexclaimed；“Godhelphimindeed！“
　　“Amen！“saidNorthmour。“Andnow，lookhere:Ihavesaidthatweareinafix；and，frankly，Ishallbegladofyourhelp。IfI
　　can’tsaveHuddlestone，Iwantatleasttosavethegirl。Comeandstayinthepavilion；and，there’smyhandonit，Ishallactasyourfrienduntiltheoldmaniseitherclearordead。But，“headded，“oncethatissettled，youbecomemyrivalonceagain，andI
　　warnyou——mindyourself。“
　　“Done！“saidI；andweshookhands。
　　“Andnowletusgodirectlytothefort，“saidNorthmour；andhebegantoleadthewaythroughtherain。
　　VI
　　WewereadmittedtothepavilionbyClara，andIwassurprisedbythecompletenessandsecurityofthedefenses。Abarricadeofgreatstrength，andyeteasytodisplace，supportedthedooragainstanyviolencefromwithout；andtheshuttersofthedining-
　　room，intowhichIwasleddirectly，andwhichwasfeeblyilluminatedbyalamp，wereevenmoreelaboratelyfortified。Thepanelswerestrengthenedbybarsandcrossbars；andthese，intheirturn，werekeptinpositionbyasystemofbracesandstruts，someabuttingonthefloor，someontheroof，andothers，infine，againsttheoppositewalloftheapartment。Itwasatonceasolidandwell-designedpieceofcarpentry；andIdidnotseektoconcealmyadmiration。
　　“Iamtheengineer，“saidNorthmour。“Youremembertheplanksinthegarden？Beholdthem？“
　　“Ididnotknowyouhadsomanytalents，“saidI。
　　“Areyouarmed？“hecontinued，pointingtoanarrayofgunsandpistols，allinadmirableorder，whichstoodinlineagainstthewallorweredisplayeduponthesideboard。
　　“Thankyou，“Ireturned；“Ihavegonearmedsinceourlastencounter。But，totellyouthetruth，Ihavehadnothingtoeatsinceearlyyesterdayevening。“
　　Northmourproducedsomecoldmeat，towhichIeagerlysetmyself，andabottleofgoodBurgundy，bywhich，wetasIwas，Ididnotscrupletoprofit。Ihavealwaysbeenanextremetemperancemanonprinciple；butitisuselesstopushprincipletoexcess，andonthisoccasionIbelievethatIfinishedthreequartersofthebottle。AsIeat，Istillcontinuedtoadmirethepreparationsfordefense。
　　“Wecouldstandasiege，“Isaidatlength。
　　“Ye——es，“drawledNorthmour；“averylittleone，perhaps。ItisnotsomuchthestrengthofthepavilionImisdoubt；itisthedoubledangerthatkillsme。Ifwegettoshooting，wildasthecountryis，someoneissuretohearit，andthen——whythenit’sthesamething，onlydifferent，astheysay:cagedbylaw，orkilledbycarbonari。There’sthechoice。Itisadevilishbadthingtohavethelawagainstyouinthisworld，andsoItelltheoldgentlemanupstairs。Heisquiteofmywayofthinking。“
　　“Speakingofthat，“saidI，“whatkindofpersonishe？“
　　“Oh，he！“criedtheother；“he’sarancidfellow，asfarashegoes。Ishouldliketohavehisneckwrungto-morrowbyallthedevilsinItaly。Iamnotinthisaffairforhim。Youtakeme？I
　　madeabargainformissy’shand，andImeantohaveittoo。“
　　“That，bytheway，“saidI。“Iunderstand。ButhowwillMr。
　　Huddlestonetakemyintrusion？“
　　“LeavethattoClara，“returnedNorthmour。
　　Icouldhavestruckhiminthefaceforhiscoarsefamiliarity；butIrespectedthetruce，as，Iamboundtosay，didNorthmour，andsolongasthedangercontinuednotacloudaroseinourrelation。I
　　bearhimthistestimonywiththemostunfeignedsatisfaction；noramIwithoutpridewhenIlookbackuponmyownbehavior。Forsurelynotwomenwereeverleftinapositionsoinvidiousandirritating。
　　AssoonasIhaddoneeating，weproceededtoinspectthelowerfloor。Windowbywindowwetriedthedifferentsupports，nowandthenmakinganinconsiderablechange；andthestrokesofthehammersoundedwithstartlingloudnessthroughthehouse。Iproposed，I
　　remember，tomakeloopholes；buthetoldmetheywerealreadymadeinthewindowsoftheupperstory。Itwasananxiousbusiness，thisinspection，andleftmedown-hearted。Thereweretwodoorsandfivewindowstoprotect，and，countingClara，onlyfourofustodefendthemagainstanunknownnumberoffoes。IcommunicatedmydoubtstoNorthmour，whoassuredme，withunmovedcomposure，thatheentirelysharedthem。
　　“Beforemorning，“saidhe，“weshallallbebutcheredandburiedinGradenFloe。Forme，thatiswritten。“
　　Icouldnothelpshudderingatthementionofthequicksand，butremindedNorthmourthatourenemieshadsparedmeinthewood。
　　“Donotflatteryourself，“saidhe。“Thenyouwerenotinthesameboatwiththeoldgentleman；nowyouare。It’sthefloeforallofus，markmywords。“
　　ItrembledforClara；andjustthenherdearvoicewasheardcallingustocomeupstairs。Northmourshowedmetheway，and，whenhehadreachedthelanding，knockedatthedoorofwhatusedtobecalledMyUncle’sBedroom，asthefounderofthepavilionhaddesigneditespeciallyforhimself。
　　“Comein，Northmour；comein，dearMr。Cassilis，“saidavoicefromwithin。
　　Pushingopenthedoor，Northmouradmittedmebeforehimintotheapartment。AsIcameinIcouldseethedaughterslippingoutbythesidedoorintothestudy，whichhadbeenpreparedasherbedroom。Inthebed，whichwasdrawnbackagainstthewall，insteadofstanding，asIhadlastseenit，boldlyacrossthewindow，satBernardHuddlestone，thedefaultingbanker。LittleasIhadseenofhimbytheshiftinglightofthelanternonthelinks，Ihadnodifficultyinrecognizinghimforthesame。Hehadalongandsallowcountenance，surroundedbyalongredbeardandside-whiskers。Hisbrokennoseandhighcheek-honesgavehimsomewhattheairofaKalmuck，andhislighteyesshonewiththeexcitementofahighfever。Heworeaskull-capofblacksilk；ahugeBiblelayopenbeforehimonthebed，withapairofgoldspectaclesintheplace，andapileofotherbookslayonthestandbyhisside。Thegreencurtainslentacadaverousshadetohischeek；and，ashesatproppedonpillows，hisgreatstaturewaspainfullyhunched，andhisheadprotrudedtillitoverhunghisknees。Ibelieveifhehadnotdiedotherwise，hemusthavefallenavictimtoconsumptioninthecourseofbutaveryfewweeks。
　　Heheldouttomeahand，long，thin，anddisagreeablyhairy。
　　“Comein，comein，Mr。Cassilis，“saidhe。“Anotherprotector——
　　ahem！——anotherprotector。Alwayswelcomeasafriendofmydaughter’s，Mr。Cassilis。Howtheyhaveralliedaboutme，mydaughter’sfriends！MayGodinheavenblessandrewardthemforit！“
　　Igavehimmyhand，ofcourse，becauseIcouldnothelpit；butthesympathyIhadbeenpreparedtofeelforClara’sfatherwasimmediatelysouredbyhisappearance，andthewheedling，unrealtonesinwhichhespoke。
　　“Cassilisisagoodman，“saidNorthmour；“worthten。“
　　“SoIhear，“criedMr。Huddlestoneeagerly；“somygirltellsme。
　　Ah，Mr。Cassilis，mysinhasfoundmeout，yousee！Iamverylow，verylow；butIhopeequallypenitent。Wemustallcometothethroneofgraceatlast，Mr。Cassilis。Formypart，Icomelateindeed；butwithunfeignedhumility，Itrust。“
　　“Fiddle-de-dee！“saidNorthmourroughly。
　　“No，no，dearNorthmour！“criedthebanker。“Youmustnotsaythat；youmustnottrytoshakeme。Youforget，mydear，goodboy，youforgetImaybecalledthisverynightbeforemyMaker。“
　　Hisexcitementwaspitifultobehold；andIfeltmyselfgrowindignantwithNorthmour，whoseinfidelopinionsIwellknew，andheartilydespised，ashecontinuedtotauntthepoorsinneroutofhishumorofrepentance。
　　“Pooh，mydearHuddlestone！“saidhe。“Youdoyourselfinjustice。
　　Youareamanoftheworldinsideandout，andwereuptoallkindsofmischiefbeforeIwasborn。YourconscienceistannedlikeSouthAmericanleather——onlyyouforgottotanyourliver，andthat，ifyouwillbelieveme，istheseatoftheannoyance。“
　　“Rogue，rogue！badboy！“saidMr。Huddlestone，shakinghisfinger。
　　“Iamnoprecisian，ifyoucometothat；Ialwayshatedaprecisian；butIneverlostholdofsomethingbetterthroughitall。Ihavebeenabadboy，Mr。Cassilis；Idonotseektodenythat；butitwasaftermywife’sdeath，andyouknow，withawidower，it’sadifferentthing:sinful——Iwon’tsayno；butthereisagradation，weshallhope。Andtalkingofthat——Hark！“hebrokeoutsuddenly，hishandraised，hisfingersspread，hisfacerackedwithinterestandterror。“Onlytherain，blessGod！“headded，afterapause，andwithindescribablerelief。
　　Forsomesecondshelaybackamongthepillowslikeamanneartofainting；thenhegatheredhimselftogether，and，insomewhattremuloustones，beganoncemoretothankmefortheshareIwaspreparedtotakeinhisdefense。
　　“Onequestion，sir，“saidI，whenhehadpaused。“Isittruethatyouhavemoneywithyou？“