But the friend had resisted, and had struggled manfully to achieve what he considered an equality in friendship.

"Now, Scarborough, you may as well take it once for all that I am not going to be talked down.

If you want to talk a fellow down you can go to Walker, Brown, or Green.

Then when you are tired of the occupation you can come back to me." It was thus that Annesley had been wont to address his friend.

But his friend had been anxious to talk down this special young man for special purposes, and had been conscious of some weakness in the other's character which he thought entitled him to do so.