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walk away； and his throat would be cut before the evening。〃
〃Yes； Mr。 Northmour；〃 returned Clara； with great spirit； 〃but that
is what you will never do。 You made a bargain that was unworthy of
a gentleman； but you are a gentleman for all that； and you will
never desert a man whom you have begun to help。〃
〃Aha！〃 said he。 〃You think I will give my yacht for nothing？ You
think I will risk my life and liberty for love of the old
gentleman； and then； I suppose； he best man at the wedding； to wind
up？ Well；〃 he added； with an odd smile； 〃perhaps you are not
altogether wrong。 But ask Cassilis here。 HE knows me。 Am I a man
to trust？ Am I safe and scrupulous？ Am I kind？〃
〃I know you talk a great deal； and sometimes； I think； very
foolishly；〃 replied Clara； 〃but I know you are a gentleman； and I
am not the least afraid。〃
He looked at her with a peculiar approval and admiration； then；
turning to me； 〃Do you think I would give her up without a
struggle； Frank？〃 said he。 〃I tell you plainly； you look out。 The
next time we come to blows〃
〃Will make the third；〃 I interrupted； smiling。
〃Aye； true； so it will；〃 he said。 〃I had forgotten。 Well； the
third time's lucky。〃
〃The third time； you mean； you will have the crew of the 'Red Earl'
to help；〃 I said。
〃Do you hear him？〃 he asked； turning to my wife。
〃I hear two men speaking like cowards；〃 said she。 〃I should
despise myself either to think or speak like that。 And neither of
you believe one word that you are saying； which makes it the more
wicked and silly。〃
〃She's a trump！〃 cried Northmour。 〃But she's not yet Mrs。
Cassilis。 I say no more。 The present is not for me。〃
Then my wife surprised me。
〃I leave you here；〃 she said suddenly。 〃My father has been too
long alone。 But remember this： you are to be friends； for you are
both good friends to me。〃
She has since told me her reason for this step。 As long as she
remained； she declares that we two would have continued to quarrel；
and I suppose that she was right； for when she was gone we fell at
once into a sort of confidentiality。
Northmour stared after her as she went away over the sand hill。
〃She is the only woman in the world！〃 he exclaimed with an oath。
〃Look at her action。〃
I； for my part； leaped at this opportunity for a little further
light。
〃See here； Northmour；〃 said I； 〃we are all in a tight place； are we
not？〃
〃I believe you； my boy；〃 he answered； looking me in the eyes； and
with great emphasis。 〃We have all hell upon us； that's the truth。
You may believe me or not； but I'm afraid of my life。〃
〃Tell me one thing；〃 said I。 〃What are they after； these Italians？
What do they want with Mr。 Huddlestone？〃
〃Don't you know？〃 he cried。 〃The black old scamp had carbonari
funds on a deposittwo hundred and eighty thousand； and of course
he gambled it away on stocks。 There was to have been a revolution
in the Tridentino； or Parma； but the revolution is off； and the
whole wasp's nest is after Huddlestone。 We shall all be lucky if
we can save our skins。〃
〃The carbonari！〃 I exclaimed； 〃God help him indeed！〃
〃Amen！〃 said Northmour。 〃And now； look here： I have said that we
are in a fix； and； frankly； I shall be glad of your help。 If I
can't save Huddlestone； I want at least to save the girl。 Come and
stay in the pavilion； and； there's my hand on it； I shall act as
your friend until the old man is either clear or dead。 But；〃 he
added； 〃once that is settled； you become my rival once again； and I
warn youmind yourself。〃
〃Done！〃 said I； and we shook hands。
〃And now let us go directly to the fort；〃 said Northmour； and he
began to lead the way through the rain。
VI
We were admitted to the pavilion by Clara； and I was surprised by
the completeness and security of the defenses。 A barricade of
great strength； and yet easy to displace； supported the door
against any violence from without； and the shutters of the dining…
room； into which I was led directly； and which was feebly
illuminated by a lamp； were even more elaborately fortified。 The
panels were strengthened by bars and crossbars； and these； in their
turn； were kept in position by a system of braces and struts； some
abutting on the floor； some on the roof； and others； in fine；
against the opposite wall of the apartment。 It was at once a solid
and well…designed piece of carpentry； and I did not seek to conceal
my admiration。
〃I am the engineer；〃 said Northmour。 〃You remember the planks in
the garden？ Behold them？〃
〃I did not know you had so many talents；〃 said I。
〃Are you armed？〃 he continued； pointing to an array of guns and
pistols； all in admirable order； which stood in line against the
wall or were displayed upon the sideboard。
〃Thank you；〃 I returned； 〃I have gone armed since our last
encounter。 But； to tell you the truth； I have had nothing to eat
since early yesterday evening。〃
Northmour produced some cold meat； to which I eagerly set myself；
and a bottle of good Burgundy； by which； wet as I was； I did not
scruple to profit。 I have always been an extreme temperance man on
principle； but it is useless to push principle to excess； and on
this occasion I believe that I finished three quarters of the
bottle。 As I eat； I still continued to admire the preparations for
defense。
〃We could stand a siege；〃 I said at length。
〃Yees；〃 drawled Northmour； 〃a very little one； perhaps。 It is
not so much the strength of the pavilion I misdoubt； it is the
double danger that kills me。 If we get to shooting； wild as the
country is； some one is sure to hear it； and thenwhy then it's
the same thing； only different； as they say： caged by law； or
killed by carbonari。 There's the choice。 It is a devilish bad
thing to have the law against you in this world； and so I tell the
old gentleman upstairs。 He is quite of my way of thinking。〃
〃Speaking of that；〃 said I； 〃what kind of person is he？〃
〃Oh； he！〃 cried the other； 〃he's a rancid fellow； as far as he
goes。 I should like to have his neck wrung to…morrow by all the
devils in Italy。 I am not in this affair for him。 You take me？ I
made a bargain for missy's hand； and I mean to have it too。〃
〃That； by the way；〃 said I。 〃I understand。 But how will Mr。
Huddlestone take my intrusion？〃
〃Leave that to Clara；〃 returned Northmour。
I could have struck him in the face for his coarse familiarity； but
I respected the truce； as； I am bound to say； did Northmour； and so
long as the danger continued not a cloud arose in our relation。 I
bear him this testimony with the most unfeigned satisfaction； nor
am I without pride when I look back upon my own behavior。 For
surely no two men were ever left in a position so invidious and
irritating。
As soon as I had done eating； we proceeded to inspect the lower
floor。 Window by window we tried