"
"Polite! D--n it, sir! I call this stealing."
"Stealing, Mr. Prince, is a word that might be used by the person
who claims these letters to describe the act of any one who would
keep them from HER. It really can not apply to you or me."
"Once for all, do you refuse to return them to me?" said Prince,
pale with anger.
"Decidedly."
"Very well, sir! We shall see." He stepped to the corner and rang
a bell. "I have summoned my manager, and will charge you with the
theft in his presence."
"I think not."
"And why, sir?"
"Because the presence of a third party would enable me to throw
this glove in your face, which, as a gentleman, I couldn't do
without witnesses." Steps were heard along the passage; Prince was
no coward in a certain way; neither was he a fool. He knew that
Carroll would keep his word; he knew that he should have to fight
him; that, whatever the issue of the duel was, the cause of the
quarrel would be known, and scarcely redound to his credit. At
present there were no witnesses to the offered insult, and none
would be wiser. The letters were not worth it. He stepped to the
door, opened it, said, "No matter," and closed it again.
He returned with an affectation of carelessness. "You are right.
I don't know that I'm called upon to make a scene here which the
LAW can do for me as well elsewhere. It will settle pretty quick
whether you've got the right to those letters, and whether you've
taken the right way to get them sir.
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