ess," said the Major, as he drew himself a little soda
from a siphon.

"Now to business," repeated Halibut, rising and placing his glass on the
mantel-piece.

The Major struggled fiercely with his feelings, but, despite himself, a
guilty blush lent colour to the other's unfounded suspicions.

"Remember the conditions," said Halibut, impressively.

"Here's my hand on it," said the other, reaching over.

Halibut took it, and, his thoughts being at the moment far away, gave it
a tender, respectful squeeze. The Major stared and coughed. It was
suggestive of practice.

If the history of the duel is ever written, it will be found not unworthy
of being reckoned with the most famous combats of ancient times. Piece
after piece was removed from the board, and the Major drank glass after
glass of soda to cool his heated brain. At the second glass Halibut took
an empty tumbler and helped himself. Suddenly there was a singing in the
Major's ears, and a voice, a hateful, triumphant voice, said,

"Checkmate!"

Then did his gaze wander from knight to bishop and bishop to castle in a
vain search for succour. There was his king defied by a bishop--a bishop
which had been hobnobbing with pawns in one corner of the board, and
which he could have sworn he had captured and removed full twenty minutes
before. He mentioned this impression to Halibut.

"That was the other one," said his foe. "I thought you had forgotten
this. I have been watching and hoping so for the last half-hour."

There was no disguising the coarse satisfaction of the man. He had
watched and hoped. Not beaten him, so the Major told himself, in fair
play, but by taking a mean and pitiful advantage of a pure oversight. A
sheer oversight. He admitted it.

Halibut rose with a sigh of relief, and the Major, mechanically sweeping
up the pieces, dropped them one by one into the box.

"Plenty of time," said the victor, glancing at the clock. "I shall go
now, but I should like a wash first."

The Major rose, and in his capacity of host led the way upstairs to his
room, and poured fresh water for his foe. Halibut washed himself
delicately, carefully trimming his hair and beard, and anxiously
consulting the Major as to the set of his coat in the back, after
he had donned it again.

His toilet completed, he gave a satisfied glance in the glass, and then
followed the man of war sedately down stairs. At the hall he paused, and
busied himself with the clo