"Lead on!" he exclaimed. "I will follow."

They left the room, Thornton calling to Willis, who followed them,
wonderingly.

Diamond had made a signal to Merriwell, and Frank was not far behind.

Diamond led the way to the garden.

It was a moonlight night, and seemed almost as light as day.

"Mr. Thornton," said Diamond, sternly, "you have grossly insulted a
young lady friend of mine. It is my duty to protect her. I challenge you
to fight me, the weapons to be pistols, the place here, and the time
now. Your answer, sir--your answer!"

Thornton turned pale, and hesitated. He knew nothing of dueling, and
therefore did not know that, being the challenged party, it was his
privilege to name the weapons, the time and the place.

In a moment, he found Tad Horner at his elbow. Where Tad had come from
and how he happened to be there Tom could not conceive. But Tad was on
hand, and he whispered:

"Take him up, old man--take him up! He is a regular fire-eater--in his
mind. He thinks you will squeal. If he finds you will fight, he is sure
to back out. He hasn't any real nerve. If he does fight, I'll fix it all
right, for I will see that the pistols are loaded with blank cartridges.
After the first shot, I will demand that the duel cease. Thus you will
get the reputation of having fought a duel, without incurring any danger
to yourself."

Thornton was pleased with the scheme. He wished to be considered a
dare-devil sort of fellow, and he felt that it would give him a great
reputation if he fought a real duel.

"Sir," he said, turning to Diamond, "I accept your challenge, and I
shall do my best to shoot you through the heart!"

Five minutes later came the question:

"Gentlemen, are you ready?"

"All ready," answered both Diamond and Thornton.

"I will count three, and then give the word," said Frank Merriwell,
distinctly. "One!"

Despite himself, Willis Paulding felt his flesh creep and heard his
teeth chatter.

Thornton was shaking, even though he had been assured by Tad Horner that
there were no bullets in the pistols.

Diamond was cool as an iceberg. The bright moonlight seemed to show a
look of deadly determination on his face.

"Confound him!" thought Thornton, quaking. "He'd as lief fight a duel as
eat! Hang those Southerners! They do not know what it is to be afraid!"

"Two!" counted Merriwell.

The duelists raised their weapons and seemed to take careful aim.

"Three--fire!"

At that instant the