"Liar and coward!" said Walter, striking him on the face.
"Mr. Maynard, you are too intemperate," cried Lord Alfred, snatching his arm; "what can justify such provocation?"
"Before I ring for my servants to show you to the door," said Sir George, "you will allow me to tell you, that I can only be insulted by my equal: I cannot go out with any but a gentleman!"
"I wonder," said Lord Alfred, interfering, "that you can dream of disputing Mr. Maynard's claim to be considered one. I can only say, so much do I value him, that let him satisfy me as to the quarrel, and I will attend him as second myself."
Walter gave him one eloquent look of gratitude, and Sir George turned livid with rage.
"But little explanation will suffice," said Maynard. "Sir George has, by he knows what false representations, induced me to write letters—love letters for him. I believed that I only gave expression to real feeling—a feeling that
