t to hair-triggers?"

A knocking at the door turned off our attention, and the next moment
Baker's voice was heard.

"O'Malley, you'll be close run for time; the meeting-place is full three
miles from this."

I seized the key and opened the door. At the same instant, O'Shaughnessy
rose and turned towards the window, holding one of the pistols in his hand.

"Look at that, Baker,--what a sweet tool it is!" said he, in a voice that
actually made me start. Not a trace of his late excitement remained; his
usually dry, half-humorous manner had returned, and his droll features were
as full of their own easy, devil-may-care fun as ever.

"Here comes the drag," said Baker. "We can drive nearly all the way, unless
you prefer riding."

"Of course not. Keep your hand steady, Charley, and if you don't bring him
down with that saw-handle, you're not your uncle's nephew."

With these words we mounted into the tax-cart, and set off for the
meeting-place.

CHAPTER LXII.

THE DUEL.

A small and narrow ravine between the two furze-covered dells led to the
open space where the meeting had been arranged for. As we reached this,
therefore, we were obliged to descend from the drag, and proceed the
remainder of the way afoot. We had not gone many yards when a step was
heard approaching, and the next moment Beaufort appeared. His usually easy
and _degage_ air was certainly tinged with somewhat of constraint; and
though his soft voice and half smile were as perfect as ever, a slightly
flurried expression about the lip, and a quick and nervous motion of his
eyebrow, bespoke a heart not completely at ease. He lifted his foraging cap
most ceremoniously to salute us as we came up, and casting an anxious look
to see if any others were following, stood quite still.

"I think it right to mention, Major O'Shaughnessy," said he, in a voice of
most dulcet sweetness, "that I am the only friend of Captain Trevyllian on
the ground; and though I have not the slightest objection to Captain Baker
being present, I hope you will see the propriety of limiting the witnesses
to the three persons now here."

"Upon my conscience, as far as I am concerned, or my friend either, we
are perfectly indifferent if we fight before three or three thousand. In
Ireland we rather like a crowd."

"Of course, then, as you see no objection to my proposition, I may count
upon your co-operation in the event of any intrusion,--I mean, that while
we, upon our sid