as given to fire, and both pistols were discharged at once.
Sydney was wounded slightly in the arm; but Radcliff fell, mortally
wounded--his antagonist's ball had pierced his breast.

Sydney bent over the dying man with deep concern; his intention had been
merely to wound him--he had no desire to kill him; and when he saw that
his shot had taken a fatal effect, he was sincerely grieved. He could
not deny to himself that he felt a deep interest in the splendid
libertine, whose princely wealth, prodigal generosity, magnificent
person, and many amours, and rendered him the hero of romance, and the
most celebrated man of the day. He knew that Radcliff's many vices were
in a slight degree palliated by not a few excellent qualities which he
possessed; and he sighed as he thought that such a brilliant intellect
and such a happy combination of rare personal advantages should cease to
exist, ere the possessor could repent of the sins of his past life.

Radcliff's second, the tall man with the shrouded countenance, walked to
a short distance from the melancholy group, with a gloomy and abstracted
air. While the Doctor made vain efforts to alleviate the sufferings of
Radcliff, that unhappy man raised his dying eyes to Sydney's face, and
said, faintly:--

'Young man, my doom is just.--Continue to be kind to Sophia Franklin,
whom I would have wronged but for your timely interference; but beware
of her mother and sister--they are devils in the shape of women. They
would have sold her to me for gold--wretches that they were, and villain
that I was!'

'Can I do anything for you?' asked Frank, gently.

'Nothing--but listen to me; the pains of death are upon me, and my time
is short. You see my second--that tall, mysterious-looking person? I
have known him, for many years--he is a villain of the deepest dye--one
whom I formerly employed to kidnap young girls for my base uses. Last
night I met him for the first time for a long period; I told him that I
was to fight a person named Sydney this morning; he started at the
mention of your name, and eagerly desired to act as my second. I
consented. He is your most inveterate enemy, and thirsts for your blood.
He seeks but an opportunity to kill you. _He fears your second_, and
that prevents him from attacking you at once. Beware of him, for he
is--is--is--the--'

Radcliff could not finish the sentence, for the agonies of death were
upon him. His eyes glazed, his breath grew fainter and fa