The sallow, ascetic hue of Mr. Hotchkiss’s face had passed through a livid and then a greenish shade, and finally settled into a sullen red.  “What’s all this about?” he demanded roughly.

The least touch of belligerent fire came into Starbottle’s eye, but his bland courtesy did not change.  “I believe,” he said politely, “I have made myself clear as between—­er—­gentlemen, though perhaps not as clear as I should to—­er—­er—­jury.”

Mr. Hotchkiss was apparently struck with some significance in the lawyer’s reply.  “I don’t know,” he said, in a lower and more cautious voice, “what you mean by what you call ‘my attentions’ to—­any one—­or how it concerns you.  I have not exchanged half a dozen words with—­the person you name—­have never written her a line—­nor even called at her house.”

He rose with an assumption of ease, pulled down his waistcoat, buttoned his coat, and took up his hat.  The Colonel did not move.

“I believe I have already indicated my meaning in what I have called ‘your attentions,’” said the Colonel blandly, “and given you my ‘concern’ for speaking as—­er—­er—­mutual friend.  As to your statement of your relations with Miss Hooker, I may state that it is fully corroborated by the statement of the young lady herself in this very office yesterday.”

“Then what does this impertinent nonsense mean?  Why am I summoned here?” demanded Hotchkiss furiously.

“Because,” said the Colonel deliberately, “that statement is infamously—­yes, damnably to your discredit, sir!”

Mr. Hotchkiss was here seized by one of those impotent and inconsistent rages which occasionally betray the habitually cautious and timid man.  He caught up the Colonel’s stick, which was lying on the table.  At the same moment the Colonel, without any apparent effort, grasped it by the handle.  To Mr. Hotchkiss’s astonishment, the stick separated in two pieces, leaving the handle and about two feet of narrow glittering steel in the Colonel’s hand.  The man recoiled, dropping the useless fragment.  The Colonel picked it up, fitted the shining blade in it, clicked the spring, and then rising with a face of courtesy yet of unmistakably genuine pain, and with even a slight tremor in his voice, said gravely,—­

“Mr. Hotchkiss, I owe you a thousand apologies, sir, that—­er—­a weapon should be drawn by me—­even through your own inadvertence—­under the sacred protection of my roof, and upon an unarmed man.  I beg your pardon, sir, and I even withdraw the expressions which provoked that inadvertence.  Nor does this apology prevent you from holding me responsible—­personally responsible—­elsewhere for an indiscretion committed in behalf of a lady—­my—­er—­client.”

“Your client?  Do you mean you have taken her case?  You, the counsel for the Ditch Company?” asked Mr. Hotchkiss, in trembling indignation.

“Having won your case, sir,” replied the Colonel coolly, “the—­er—­usages of advocacy do not prevent me from espousing the cause of the weak and unprotected.”