an equality with you. I see that you have a
revolver, so that I know you will be able to shoot better with it than a
strange pistol. But remember, we have no fooling about the affair. I
never stand second for a man unless he tries to win, and I should hate
to think that you were foolish enough to throw away your fire. Do you
kill him the first time, or he will kill you."

Fred thanked our countryman for his advice, and for a moment we
conferred together apart.

"The same directions which I gave you when I was compelled to fight my
first duel, will answer for this," Fred said. "If any thing should
happen, don't let me be buried near this place. Carry my body to the old
convict's hut, and let me be interred there by the side of the stream."

I promised, although there were tears in my eyes and a choking sensation
in my throat, as I did so.

"Don't give way to any weakness, here," Fred whispered. "Remember that
the eyes of a thousand people are upon us. Let them see that we possess
the true Yankee grit."

He squeezed my hand as he spoke, and the next instant I was restored to
my usual calmness, as far as the prying eyes which were fastened upon us
could discover.

"Am I to be kept waiting all day for the young feller to say his
prayers?" roared the bully, who began to grow impatient for blood.

"Don't let him call again," said Charley; "if he does, the people will
think we are rather backward to meet him. Sympathy is now all on our
side, and we must not lose it."

"I am ready," replied Fred, after a brief inspection of his revolver.

"That's right--are you certain that those caps are not damp? Do you want
any thing? Can I do any thing for you?"

With these questions, and half a dozen others in the same breath, which
Charley asked as rapidly as though there was not a moment to spare, Fred
was conducted near his adversary, who uttered an exclamation when he saw
him, that was intended for an intimidation.

"Where shall I hit the d----d Yankee?" he cried, brandishing his pistol.
"I'll pepper him just where you tell me to, and afterwards we'll drink
his speedy passage to--"

The balance of the exclamation was so shocking that his only friend
checked him by asking if his pistol was well loaded.

"It's loaded well enough to kill that d----d pup. I say, what a joke it
will be! I kill a d----d Yankee with a Yankee's pistol. I suppose they
want to thin the breed off."

The bully's words, instead of intimidating Fred