Bob whistled,--a long sibilation of amazement,--and then laughed and
laughed again.

"What have you-all been doing to the old fellow?"

"Ah haven't any idea."

"He says you talked it over yesterday."

"You hardly could say we discussed it," said the Doctor, dryly. "He
insisted that Ah knew the drift o' his remarks, which Ah didn't, and
rung in something about a man on a white horse."

"Who was he?"

"Blamed if Ah know. Ah begin to think, like Bud, the man's sick. He
certainly was angry over something, and he used pretty strong
language."

"Swearing?"

"No. Told me Ah lied."

Bob whistled again.

"That warmed you under the collar, I suspect?"

"It did wilt mah linen a trifle. However, Ah took it that, being a
foreigner, he didn't know just how strong a word he was employing, so
Ah drove off and left him."

"I reckon from this," holding up the letter, "he did know, and meant
just what he said. It looks as if you'd been too lenient. You ought to
have given him a biff or two on the spot."

"Maybe Ah had oughter."

Morgan pulled his beard thoughtfully.

Bob read the letter through once more.

"Quaint English, isn't it? The idea of a regular challenge gets me. I
don't know when I've come across anything funnier."

"The notion ain't so novel to me, but duels are scarce nowadays. The
State ain't so overly encouraging to them. Hand me down those Statutes
and let me see exactly how they fix us."

Bob took the book from the shelf against the wall, and the Doctor
turned over the pages.

"Here it is, in the Constitution. 'Article XIV., Section 2. Penalty for
fighting a duel. No person who shall hereafter fight a duel, or assist
in the same as a second, or send, accept, or knowingly carry a
challenge therefor, or agree to go out of the State to fight a duel,
shall hold any office in this State.' H'm," sniffed the Doctor.
"Strikes me that won't prevent a lot of people from fighting. It
discriminates against the would-be office-holder, but not against _me_,
who wouldn't swallow an office if you put it in mah mouth."

"Or von Rittenheim, who wouldn't know one if he saw it! Perhaps it's a
delicate tribute to the desire of all North Carolinians to serve their
State."

"What disturbs me," said Dr. Morgan, shutting the book, "is that Ah
like the fellow, and Ah don't want to shoot him all up fo' nothing.
And, as Ah said befo', Ah sho' do think the fever's coming on him."

"What are you going to do?"

"Blest