shots must be fired between the words "one" and "three." A moment
later he commanded:

"Ready!"

Both men held their pistols pointed towards the ground, in order to
raise them immediately on the word "one."

Simultaneously with "two" Kahle fired, and the ball struck with a
slight noise the bark of a beech tree, a step or two to the left of
and above his adversary, while a small twig fell rattling from
overhead. Kahle's unsteady hand had given his pistol a slight upward
turn, so that he had missed his prey.

Kolberg, however, stood throughout firm and motionless, and took
steady aim, so that with "three" the trigger of his pistol fell.

Kahle looked unflinchingly at the small black mouth of the pistol
pointing at him, but at the shot he opened his eyes wide, lurched
heavily, and fell headlong.

A cold tremor ran down Kolberg's spine as he saw the tall, powerful
man pitch forward, and for a moment he remained, his smoking pistol
lifted, rooted to the spot. Then the weapon slipped from his hand.

The others, however, immediately ran towards the major, and the
surgeons tore open his coat.

There was a small hole in his chest, and the blood began to ooze from
it.

Kahle had lost consciousness for a second only. Now he lay there,
pale, and gazing steadily at the men busily engaged about him.

Kolberg also approached, holding out his hand in token of amity; but
he quickly withdrew his hand and retreated out of sight, for a cold,
repellent look from Kahle's eyes had met his. From some short distance
in the rear, out of the reach of those severe eyes, he attentively
viewed his prostrate foe; then he turned on his heels and made off
through the woods, towards the cabs.

The major's wound, however, was found to be not fatal, although the
bullet had grazed the lungs, and a long time would have to elapse
before he would be up and about once more.

One of the cabs was driven up and the major carefully lifted into it.
The two surgeons accompanied him inside, while his second occupied the
place next the driver. Thereupon they drove back at a slow gait to the
city, where the injured man was to be at once taken to the hospital.

After he had taken farewell from the two judges as the vehicle reached
the outskirts of the town, Borgert, who remained with Kolberg, slapped
the latter encouragingly on the shoulder and said:

"Don't make such a wry face, man alive! Be satisfied that you got off
with a whole skin. Of course, i