I had not walked half a mile when I heard the footsteps of some one behind, and, looking round, what should I behold but the face in the world which I most cordially hate and abhor--I mean that which stands on the shoulders of my right trusty and well-beloved cousin and counsellor, Saint Francis.

He seemed as much confounded as I was at our unexpected meeting; and it was a minute ere he found breath to demand what I did in Scotland, contrary to my promise, as he was pleased to express it .-- I retaliated, and charged him with being here, in contradiction to his .-- He justified, and said he had only come down upon the express information that I was upon my road to St.
Ronan's .-- Now, Harry, how the devil should he have known this hadst thou been quite faithful?
for I am sure, to no ear but thine own did I breathe a whisper of my purpose .-- Next, with the insolent assumption of superiority, which he founds on what he calls the rectitude of his purpose, he proposed we should both withdraw from a neighbourhood into which we could bring nothing but wretchedness .-- I have told you how difficult it is to cope with the calm and resolute manner that the devil gifts him with on such occasions; but I was determined he should not carry the day this time.

I saw no chance for it, however, but to put myself into a towering passion, which, thank Heaven, I can always do on short notice .-- I charged him with having imposed formerly on my youth, and made himself judge of my rights; and I accompanied my defiance with the strongest terms of irony and contempt, as well as with demand of instant satisfaction.
I had my travelling pistols with me, (_et pour cause_,) and, to my surprise, my gentleman was equally provided .-- For fair play's sake, I made him take one of my pistols--right Kuchenritters--a brace of balls in each, but that circumstance I forgot .-- I would fain have argued the matter a little longer; but I thought at the time, and think still, that the best arguments which he and I can exchange, must come from the point of the sword, or the muzzle of the pistol .-- We fired nearly together, and I think both dropped--I am sure I did, but recovered in a minute, with a damaged arm and a scratch on the temple--it was the last which stunned me--so much for double-loaded pistols .-- My friend was invisible, and I had nothing for it but to walk to the Spa, bleeding all the way like a calf, and tell a raw-head-and-bloody-bone story about a footpad, which, but for my earldom, and my gory locks, no living soul would have believed.
"Shortly after, when I had been installed in a sick room, I had the mortification to learn, that my own impatience had brought all this mischief upon me, at a moment when I had every chance of getting rid of my friend without trouble, had I but let him go on his own errand; for it seems he had an appointment that morning with a booby Baronet, who is said to be a bullet-slitter, and would perhaps have rid me of Saint Francis without any trouble or risk on my part.
Meantime, his non-appearance at this rendezvous has placed Master Francis Tyrrel, as he chooses to call himself, in the worst odour possible with the gentry at the Spring, who have denounced him as a coward and no gentleman .-- What to think of the business myself, I know not; and I much want your assistance to see what can have become of this fellow, who, like a spectre of ill omen, has so often thwarted and baffled my best plans.

My own confinement renders me inactive, though my wound is fast healing.

Dead he cannot be; for, had he been mortally wounded, we should have heard of him somewhere or other--he could not have vanished from the earth like a bubble of the elements.