ked at each other with very great satisfaction, and mutually
agreed it was a sweet spot.

'Would you like to look at these?' said Pigott, taking up the pistols
from where they lay on the grass.

'Ah, I know them well,' replied the Major, laughing; 'these were poor
Tom Casey's, and a better fellow, and a handier with his iron, never
snapped a trigger. These are ours, Colonel'; presenting, as he spoke,
two splendid-looking Mortimers, in all the brilliancy of their maiden
freshness. A look of contempt from the Colonel, and a most expressive
shrug of his shoulders, was his reply.

'Begad, I think so,' said Mahon, as if appreciating the gesture; 'I had
rather have that old tool with the cracked stock--not but this is a very
sweet instrument, and elegantly balanced in the hand.'

'We are ready now,' said Pigott; 'bring up your man, Major.'

As I started up to obey the summons, a slight bustle near attracted me.
Two or three of Burke's friends were endeavouring as it were to pacify
and subdue him; but his passion knew no bounds, and as he broke from
them, he said in a voice perfectly audible where I stood--

'Won't I, by G----! then I'll tell you, if I don't shoot him-----'

'Sir,' said the Colonel, turning on him a look of passionate
indignation, 'if it were not that you were here to answer the appeal
of wounded honour, I'd leave you to your fate this moment; as it is,
another such expression as that you 've used, and I abandon you on the
spot.'

Doggedly and without speaking, Burke drew his hat far down upon
his eyes, and took the place marked out for him.

'Mr. Hinton,' said the Colonel, as he touched his hat with most
courteous politeness, 'will you have the goodness to stand there?'

Mahon, meanwhile, handed each man his pistol, and whispering in my ear,
'Aim low,' retired.

'The word, gentlemen,' said the Colonel, 'will be, "One, two, three."
Mr. Hinton, pray observe, I beg of you, you 'll not reserve your fire
after I say "three."' With his eyes fixed upon us he walked back about
ten paces. 'Are you ready? Are you both ready?'

'Yes, yes,' said Burke impatiently.

'Yes,'said I.

'One, two, three.'

I lifted my pistol at the second word, and as the last dropped from the
Colonel's lips one loud report rang through the air, and both pistols
went off together. A quick sharp pang shot through my cheek as though it
had been seared by a hot instrument. I put up my hand, but the ball had
only touched the fles