'What do you think, father,' he continued, 'but there's that cowardly scoundrel, young M'Loughlin, has sent me a challenge?
Isn't the country come to a pretty pass, when a Papist durst do such a thing ?' "'Why not a Papist ?' said Hartley.

'Has not a Papist flesh, and blood, and bones, like another man?
Is a Papist to be insensible to insult?
Is he to sit down tamely and meanly under disgrace and injury?
Has he no soul to feel the dignity of just resentment?
Is he not to defend his sister, when her character has been basely and treacherously ruined?
Is he to see her stretched on her death-bed, by your villainy, and not to avenge her?
By heavens, if, under the circumstances of the provocation which you gave him, and his whole family, he would be as mean and cowardly a poltroon as I find you to be--if he suffered--' "'Do you call me a poltroon ?' said Phil, so shivering and pale, that his voice betrayed his cowardice.
"'Yes,' said the other, 'as arrant a poltroon as ever I met.

I tell you, you must either fight him, or publish a statement of your own unparalleled disgrace.

Don't think you shall get out of it.' "'I tell you, sir,' said Val, 'that he shall not fight him.

I would not suffer a son of mine to put himself on a level with such a person as young M'Loughlin.' "'On a level with him he never will be, for no earthly advantage could raise him to it; but pray, Mr.M'Clutchy, who are you ?' "'Val's brow fell, and his lip paled and quivered, as the fine young fellow looked him steadily in the face.
"'Never mind him, father,' said Phil 'you know he's a fire-eater.' "'There is no use in altercations of this sort,' replied Val, calmly.
'As for young M'Loughlin, or old M'Loughlin, if they think themselves injured, they have the laws of the land to appeal to for redress.