ything else. Sometimes
he would have it painted white, sometimes gray, sometimes black, either
of which it might be, if a man wore gloves, but it did not make any
difference to him; and I have seen him hit it twenty times following,
over and over again."

All this had been very reassuring to Captain Lister, and if it had not
been for Marshall's reputation he would have gone to the place of
meeting feeling confident that all would go well, but the fact that it
was Frank's first duel, while Marshall had been in some eight or ten
affairs, prevented his feeling otherwise than nervous as to the result.
They were first upon the ground; the major and doctor arriving two
minutes later.

"You may as well tell the major, Captain Lister, that he need not be
alarmed. He is looking terribly anxious, and so is the doctor."

Captain Lister nodded, and went up to them as they dismounted from the
gig. "I fancy that it is going to be all right, doctor," he said, "Wyatt
tells me so himself, and what he says is confirmed by Woodall, the
gunsmith. It seems the lad is an extraordinarily good shot. I told you
last night that he had been practising a good deal, but I did not like
to raise your hopes too high until I had seen Woodall. I will bet you a
guinea that Wyatt comes out of it all right."

"I could not bet on it, Lister, though I would pay the guinea with
greater pleasure than I ever felt at winning one; but I hear that
Marshall is a very quick shot."

"So is Wyatt, major, and as the young 'un has been practising regularly,
I fancy he will be as quick or quicker than the other."

"Well, I hope to heaven that it may turn out so. Nothing would please me
more than that Wyatt should put a ball into the fellow's head. Men like
him are a curse to the army."

"I don't think he will put a ball in his head, major, but I shall not be
surprised if he carries off one of his fingers. He has conscientious
scruples about killing the man, and he is going to aim at his hand."

The Major shook his head. "I am afraid that settles it, Lister. It may
do for a good shot to try experiments of that sort with a bad one, but
not against a man like Marshall. It would be far better for him to aim
at the body. That is a good big mark, and if he is as good a shot as you
say, and is quick enough to pull his trigger first, it would make
matters safe, but as to aiming at his hand it would be sheer madness.
You tell him what I think of it. Ah! here comes the ot