tructs me to say," began Preston, who was acting as
his second, "that an apology on the part of Lieutenant Stewart will avert
consequences which may, perhaps, be unpleasant."

"Lieutenant Stewart has no apologies to offer," I said shortly. "We are
wasting time, gentlemen."

"As you will," and Preston turned back to Allen.

My coat was off in an instant, and I rolled the sleeve of my shirt above
my elbow, the better to have it out of the way.

"May I have your sword, lieutenant?" asked Pennington, and he walked with
it over to where Preston stood. He was back in a moment. "Allen's sword
is fully an inch the longer," he said. "I have insisted that he secure a
shorter weapon."

"Nonsense!" I cried. "Let him keep his sword. I am two or three inches
the taller, and the advantage will still be on my side."

Pennington looked at me a moment in something like astonishment.

"Very well," he said at last, and stepped over and spoke another word to
Preston. Then he came back and handed me my sword. "You are a gallant
man, Lieutenant Stewart," he said as he did so.

"No more than many others in Virginia. 'T is that I mean to prove
to-night," I answered lightly, and I saluted my adversary and felt his
blade against my own. The first pass showed me that he was master of the
weapon, but I was far from dismayed. I saw his eyes widen with surprise
as I parried his thrust and pressed him so closely that he gave back a
step. I smiled dryly, for I knew my advantage. The earliest lesson I had
learned at the foils was that victory comes only to the man who keeps his
coolness. I had drunk little wine, while Allen had drunk much, and his
bloodshot eyes told of previous nights spent over the cups and dice. No,
decidedly, I had little to fear. Allen must have read something of my
thought in my eyes, for his face flushed to a yet darker crimson, he
pulled himself together with an effort, and by a trick which I had never
seen, got inside my guard. His point was at my breast, but I leaped back
and avoided it.

"Ah, you break!" he cried. "'Tis not so easy as you fancied!"

I did not answer, contenting myself with playing more cautiously than I
had done in my self-satisfaction of a moment before. Out of the corners
of my eyes, I could see a portion of the circle of white faces about us,
but they made no sound, and what their expression was I could not tell.
The night air and the fast work were doing much to sober my opponent, and
I felt hi