"I've hit that mark twice in five times;
and every time I have gone straight enough along the line to have killed
my man."

"Ay, the mark itself does not so much signify," said Mr. Marsden, "at
least, not in actual duelling--the great thing is to be in the line."

While he spoke, Lord Lilburne's ball went a third time through the
glove. His cold bright eye turned on Vaudemont, as he said, with a
smile,--

"They tell me you shoot well with a fowling-piece, my dear
Vaudemont--are you equally adroit with a pistol?"

"You may see, if you like; but you take aim, Lord Lilburne; that would
be of no use in English duelling. Permit me."

He walked to the glove, and tore from it one of the fingers, which he
fastened separately to the tree, took the pistol from Dykeman as he
walked past him, gained the spot whence to fire, turned at once round,
without apparent aim, and the finger fell to the ground.

Lilburne stood aghast.

"That's wonderful!" said Marsden; "quite wonderful. Where the devil did
you get such a knack?--for it is only knack after all!"

"I lived for many years in a country where the practice was
constant, where all that belongs to rifle-shooting was a necessary
accomplishment--a country in which man had often to contend against the
wild beast. In civilised states, man himself supplies the place of the
wild beast--but we don't hunt him!--Lord Lilburne" (and this was added
with a smiling and disdainful whisper), "you must practise a little
more."

But, disregardful of the advice, from that day Lord Lilburne's morning
occupation was gone. He thought no longer of a duel with Vaudemont. As
soon as the sportsman had left him, he bade Dykeman take up the pistols,
and walked straight home into the library, where Robert Beaufort, who
was no sportsman, generally spent his mornings.

He flung himself into an arm-chair, and said, as he stirred the fire
with unusual vehemence,--

"Beaufort, I'm very sorry I asked you to invite Vaudemont. He's a
very ill-bred, disagreeable fellow!" Beaufort threw down his steward's
account-book, on which he was employed, and replied,--

"Lilburne, I have never had an easy moment since that man has been in
the house. As he was your guest, I did not like to speak before, but
don't you observe--you must observe--how like he is to the old family
portraits? The more I have examined him, the more another resemblance
grows upon me. In a word," said Robert, pausing and breathing hard, "if