u ready?" suddenly recalled me to my position.
"Yes," I nodded. Then came the even counting, "One, two;" but ere
"two" had been uttered, I saw the flash of Rodolph's pistol, and felt
the sharp pain of the bullet tearing its way into my side. While I,
taken by surprise at such rank treachery, fired not so accurately as
usual, and my bullet clipped his ear. Dick's sword was out in an
instant, and I verily believe he would have run Rodolph through on the
spot, as it was his duty and right to do, so base was the crime of
firing before the time--a thing that had never been known among
Maryland gentlemen before. But seeing me reel, he came to my
assistance, and threw his arm around me.

"Tie me to the sapling, Dick," said I, "and give me one more shot."

"But no gentleman should fight with such a scoundrel!" cried Dick
hotly.

"I waive that, just one more shot."

So, with Harry Gresham's assistance, they took Dick's sash and tied me
to the sapling, and in this way enabled me to keep an upright
position. Captain Brooke had come forward to inquire as to my injury,
but Dick met him and demanded another exchange of shots. "My
principal," he said, "waives the treachery that places your principal
beyond the pale of men of honour. But," continued Dick, "if he should
dare to fire again before the time, I will shoot him down where he
stands."

Captain Brooke flushed, and though we saw that it was painful to him
as a man of honour to be the second of such a principal, he could do
nothing but accept. "I will shoot him down myself," said he, "if he
dares again to do it."

He then returned to his party, and we saw by his angry gestures that
he was warning Rodolph of the penalty if he should a second time
transgress the rules of honour.

Again we faced, and I could feel the strength ebbing fast from me, but
I could see that Rodolph's face was pale, even through his swarthy
skin. "One, two, three, Fire," came again the fateful words; but I had
nerved myself for the final effort, and glancing down the polished
barrel, I fired, at the same moment that Rodolph's pistol rang out.

For a moment I saw him standing there, and then he lurched forward,
with his arms in the air, and fell face downward as the mortally
wounded do. With that there came a mist before my eyes, my hand fell
to my side, and I remembered nothing more. They told me afterward that
they carried me to the inn in the village, Captain Brooke assisting,
after they had se