g a dead shot with
the pistol, and on the strength of it he presumes to bully every one."

"He had better not go too far with me," returned ~162~~Oaklands, with
flashing eyes; "men are not to be frightened like children; such a
character as that is a public nuisance."

"He will not be there to-night, I am glad to say," replied I, "for I
met him yesterday when I was walking with Lawless, and he said he was
engaged to Wentworth this evening; but, my dear Harry, for Heaven's sake
avoid any quarrel with this man; should you not do so, you will only be
hazarding your life unnecessarily, and it can lead to no good result."

"My dear fellow, do I ever quarrel with anybody? there is nothing worth
the trouble of quarrelling about in this world; besides, it would be an
immense fatigue to be shot," observed Harry, smiling.

"I have no great faith in your pacific sensations, for they are nothing
more," rejoined I; "your indolence always fails you where it might be
of use in subduing (forgive me for using the term) your fiery temper;
besides, in allowing a man of this kind to quarrel with you, you give
him just the opportunity he wants; in fact you are completely playing
his game."

"Well, I can't see that exactly; suppose the worst comes to the worst,
and you are obliged to fight him, he stands nearly as good a chance of
being killed as you do."

"Excuse me, he does nothing of the kind; going out with a professed
duellist is like playing cards with a skilful gambler; the chances are
very greatly in his favour: in the first place, nine men out of ten
would lose their nerve entirely when stationed opposite the pistol of
a dead shot; then again, there are a thousand apparent trifles of which
the initiated are aware, and which make the greatest difference, such as
securing a proper position with regard to the sun, taking care that your
figure is not in a direct line with any upright object, a tree or post
for instance, and lots of other things of a like nature which we know
nothing about, all of which he is certain to contrive to have arranged
favourably for himself, and disadvantageously for his opponent. Then,
having as it were trained himself for the occasion, he is perfectly cool
and collected, and ready to avail himself of every circumstance he might
turn to his advantage--a moment's hesitation in pulling the trigger when
the signal is given, and he fires first--many a man has received his
death-wound before now ere he had d