ogise--and I'll as soon go to DUBLING as
to--!' said I, with a stamp of my foot.

'There's nothing else for it,' said Ulick with a laugh to Fagan. 'Take
your ground, Fagan,--twelve paces, I suppose?'

'Ten, sir,' said Mr. Quin, in a big voice; 'and make them short ones, do
you hear, Captain Fagan?'

'Don't bully, Mr. Quin,' said Ulick surlily; 'here are the pistols.' And
he added, with some emotion, to me, 'God bless you, my boy; and when I
count three, fire.'

Mr. Fagan put my pistol into my hand,--that is, not one of mine (which
were to serve, if need were, for the next round), but one of Ulick's.
'They are all right,' said he. 'Never fear: and, Redmond, fire at his
neck--hit him there under the gorget. See how the fool shows himself
open.' Mick, who had never spoken a word, Ulick, and the Captain retired
to one side, and Ulick gave the signal. It was slowly given, and I had
leisure to cover my man well. I saw him changing colour and trembling as
the numbers were given. At 'three,' both our pistols went off. I heard
something whizz by me, and my antagonist, giving a most horrible groan,
staggered backwards and fell.

'He's down--he's down!' cried the seconds, running towards him. Ulick
lifted him up--Mick took his head.

'He's hit here, in the neck,' said Mick; and laying open his coat, blood
was seen gurgling from under his gorget, at the very spot at which I
aimed.

'How is it with you?' said Ulick. 'Is he really hit?' said he, looking
hard at him. The unfortunate man did not answer, but when the support
of Ulick's arm was withdrawn from his back, groaned once more, and fell
backwards.

'The young fellow has begun well,' said Mick, with a scowl. 'You had
better ride off, young sir, before the police are up. They had wind of
the business before we left Kilwangan.'

'Is he quite dead?' said I.

'Quite dead,' answered Mick.

'Then the world's rid of A COWARD,' said Captain Fagan, giving the huge
prostrate body a scornful kick with his foot. 'It's all over with him,
Reddy,--he doesn't stir.'

'WE are not cowards, Fagan,' said Ulick roughly, 'whatever he was! Let's
get the boy off as quick as we may. Your man shall go for a cart, and
take away the body of this unhappy gentleman. This has been a sad day's
work for our family, Redmond Barry: you have robbed us of 1500(pounds) a
year.'

'It was Nora did it,' said I; 'not I.' And I took the riband she gave me
out of my waistcoat, and the letter, and flung t