member that when two
gentlemen meet in mortal combat the time for insult is over. We have
no seconds. Let us try to imitate the punctiliousness of seconds in
our treatment of each other. Do you consent?"

Ashby bowed.

"And now, Mr. Ashby," continued Harry, "as you say you have no
pistol, is there anything else that you can suggest? Have you a
knife?"

"Nothing but a penknife."

"Ah, that's very unfortunate. If we could only get hold of a couple
of rifles from our friends here outside, we should be all right, but
there's no use in hoping for that. Our ransom is too high for them to
risk losing it. And so, as far as I can see, the only thing left is
for us to use this one pistol of mine."

"One pistol? How can both of us use one pistol?"

"We must. There's nothing else to be done."

Ashby shook his head.

"I don't see how," said he.

"It's plain enough," said Harry. "We can take it turn about."

"But the man who fires the first shot has an immense advantage," said
Ashby.

"Pardon me," said Harry; "that does not necessarily follow. He may
hit his foe, of course, but the wound may only be a trifling one
after all; or he may miss his shot altogether. It often happens so in
duels. Moreover, as you very well know, in a duel it never happens
that both fire at the same instant. One always fires a little before
the other. So in our case it will simply amount to this, that one of
us will fire a little before the other. In that case the first man
may miss, and the second man will then come in for his turn."

"But how shall we decide who is to fire first?" said Ashby.

"Oh, that's easy enough," said Harry; "we can toss up."

"Oh, very well."

"Have you a coin?"

"Not one."

"Nor I--not a copper, even. The beggarly Carlists have drained me
dry."

"We must find something else," said Ashby.

"Oh, there needn't be any difficulty about that. A button will do
quite as well."

And with this Harry cut one of the buttons from his trousers.

"This will do," said he. "The face of the button will be 'head,' and
the back of it 'tail.' And now, will you try it?"

He handed it to Ashby, who took it without a word.

"If it falls 'heads,' the first fire will be yours; if 'tails,' the
first fire will be mine."

"Very well," said Ashby; and then, poising the button for a moment,
he tossed it.

It fell, head uppermost.

"Heads!" said Harry. "Mr. Ashby, the first fire belongs to you.
Here's the pistol. It's loaded.