carried himself with a little too much unconcern. It struck me that he
overdid it. He laughed with the local surgeon, and pointed out the
moon and the lakes of mist as though we had driven out to observe the
view. I could not think of anything to do which would show that I was
unconcerned too, so I got back into the carriage and stretched my feet
out to the seat opposite, and continued to smoke my cigar.

Incidentally, by speaking to Lowell, I hurt Von Ritter's feelings. It
seems that as one of the other man's seconds I should have been more
haughty with him. But when he passed me, pacing out the ground, he
saluted stiffly, and as I saluted back, I called out: "I suppose you
know you'll catch it if they find out about this at Washington?" And
he answered, with a grin: "Yes, I know, but I couldn't get out of it."

"Neither could I," I replied, cheerfully, and in so loud a tone that
everyone heard me. Von Ritter was terribly annoyed.

At last all was arranged and we took our places. We were to use
pistols. They were double-barrelled affairs, with very fine hair-
triggers. Graham was to give the word by asking if we were ready,
andwas then to count "One, two, three."

After the word "one" we could fire when we pleased. When each of us
had emptied both barrels, our honor was supposed to be satisfied.

Young Fiske wore a blue yachting suit with the collar turned up, and
no white showing except his face, and that in the gray light of the
dawn was a sickly white, like the belly of a fish. After he had walked
to his mark he never took his eyes from me. They seemed to be probing
around under my uniform for the vulnerable spot. I had never before