That collision the other day was serious enough, and
it's gradually becoming a vendetta. Last night one of the Lebanon
champions lost his nose."
"His nose--how?"
"A French river-driver bit a third of it off."
Ingolby made a gesture of disgust. "And this is the twentieth century!"
They had moved along the street until they reached a barber-shop, from
which proceeded the sound of a violin. "I'm going in here," Ingolby said.
"I've got some business with Berry, the barber. You'll keep me posted as
to anything important?"
"You don't need to say it. Shall I see the Master of the Orange Lodge or
the Chief Constable for you?" Ingolby thought for a minute. "No, I'll
tackle them myself, but you get in touch with Monseigneur Lourde. He's
grasped the situation, and though he'd like to have Tripple boiled in
oil, he doesn't want broken heads and bloodshed."
"And Tripple?"
"I'll deal with him at once. I've got a hold on him. I never wanted to
use it, but I will now without compunction. I have the means in my
pocket. They've been there for three days, waiting for the chance."
"It doesn't look like war, does it?" said Rockwell, looking up the street
and out towards the prairie where the day bloomed like a flower. Blue
above--a deep, joyous blue, against which a white cloud rested or slowly
travelled westward; a sky down whose vast cerulean bowl flocks of wild
geese sailed, white and grey and black, while the woods across the
Sagalac were glowing with a hundred colours, giving tender magnificence
to the scene.
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