ar had only heard Willits's
side of the affair. He was now perfectly sober and seemed to feel
his position, but he showed no fear. On the desk lay a mahogany case
containing the colonel's duelling pistols. Harry had taken them from his
father's closet as he passed through the colonel's den.

St. George turned to the young doctor. His face was calm and thoughtful,
and he seemed to realize fully the gravity of the situation.

"It's no use, Teackle," St. George said with an expressive lift of his
fingers. "I have done everything a man could, but there is only one
way out of it. I have tried my best to save Kate from every unhappiness
to-night, but this is something much more important than woman's tears,
and that is her lover's honor."

"You mean to tell me, Uncle George, that you can't stop this!" Teackle
whispered with some heat, his eyes strained, his lips twitching. Here
he faced Harry. "You sha'n't go on with this affair, I tell you, Harry.
What will Kate say? Do you think she wants you murdered for a foolish
thing like this!--and that's about what will happen."

The boy made no reply, except to shake his head. He knew what Kate would
say--knew what she would do, and knew what she would command him to do,
could she have heard Willits's continued insults in this very room but
a moment before while St. George was trying to make him apologize to his
host and so end the disgraceful incident.

"Then I'll go and bring in the colonel and see what he can do!" burst
out Teackle, starting for the door. "It's an outrage that--"

"You'll stay here, Teackle," commanded St. George--"right where you
stand! This is no place for a father. Harry is of age."

"But what an ending to a night like this!"

"I know it--horrible!--frightful!--but I would rather see the boy lying
dead at my feet than not defend the woman he loves." This came in a
decisive tone, as if he had long since made up his mind to this phase of
the situation.

"But Langdon is Harry's guest," Teackle pleaded, dropping his voice
still lower to escape being heard by the group at the opposite end
of the room--"and he is still under his roof. It is never done--it is
against the code. Besides"--and his voice became a whisper--"Harry never
levelled a pistol at a man in his life, and this is not Langdon's first
meeting. We can fix it in the morning. I tell you we must fix it."

Harry, who had been listening quietly, reached across the table, picked
up the case of pis