means of resolving the difficulty. 'There
are, nevertheless, some precautions to take,' said the Colonel."

"'He who shall be condemned by the lot, shall retire backward. It will
be but a feeble chance of escape for him, I admit; but, in short, there
is a chance, and especially one in favor of the winner,'"

"'You cling not to life, then?' I cried out, terrified at the
_sang-froid_ with which this proposition was put to me."

"'I cling to life more than yourself,' sharply replied the colonel, 'for
I have a mortal outrage to avenge. But the time is fast slipping away.
Are you ready to proceed to draw the last lottery at which one of us
will ever exist?"

"How were we to proceed to this drawing by lot? By means of the wet
finger, like infants; or by head and tail, like the school boys? Both
ways were impracticable. Our hands imprudently stretched out over the
heads of our frightened horses, might cause them to give a fatal start.
Should we toss up a piece of coin, the night was too dark to enable us
to distinguish which side fell upward. The colonel bethought him of an
expedient, of which I never should have dreamed."

"'Listen to me, captain,' said the colonel, to whom I had communicated
my perplexities. 'I have another way. The terror which our horses feel,
makes them draw every moment a burning breath. The first of us two whose
horse shall neigh,--"

"'Wins!' I exclaimed, hastily."

"'Not so; shall be looser. I know that you are a countryman, and, as
such, you can do whatever you please with your horse. As to myself, who,
but last year, wore a gown of a theological student, I fear your
equestrian prowess. You may be able to make your horse neigh: to hinder
him from doing so, is a very different matter.'"

"We waited in deep and anxious silence until the voice of one of our
horses should break forth. The silence lasted for a minute--for an age!
It was my horse who neighed the first. The colonel gave no external
manifestation of his joy; but, no doubt, he thanked God to the very
bottom of his heart."

"'You will allow me a minute to make my peace with heaven?' I said, with
falling voice."

"'Will five minutes be sufficient?'"

"'It will,' I replied."

"The colonel pulled out his watch. I addressed toward the heavens,
brilliant with stars, which I thought I was looking to for the last
time, an intense and burning prayer."

"'It is time,' said the colonel."

"I answered nothing, and, with a firm hand, ga