the wood.

What could I do to stop it? No human creature was in sight. The nearest
village was a mile away, reckoning from the further side of the wood.
The coachman was a stupid old man, quite useless in a difficulty, even
if I had had time enough to go back to the road and summon him to help
me. While I was thinking about it, the Captain and Mr. Varleigh had
stripped to their shirts and trousers. When they crossed their swords, I
could stand it no longer--I burst in on them. "For God Almighty's sake,
gentlemen," I cried out, "don't fight without seconds!" My master turned
on me, like the madman he was, and threatened me with the point of his
sword. Mr. Varleigh pulled me back out of harm's way. "Don't be afraid,"
he whispered, as he led me back to the verge of the clearing; "I have
chosen the sword instead of the pistol expressly to spare his life."

Those noble words (spoken by as brave and true a man as ever breathed)
quieted me. I knew Mr. Varleigh had earned the repute of being one of
the finest swordsmen in Europe.

The duel began. I was placed behind my master, and was consequently
opposite to his antagonist. The Captain stood on his defense, waiting
for the other to attack. Mr. Varleigh made a pass. I was opposite the
point of his sword; I saw it touch the Captain's left shoulder. In the
same instant of time my master struck up his opponent's sword with his
own weapon, seized Mr. Varleigh's right wrist in his left hand, and
passed his sword clean through Mr. Varleigh's breast. He fell, the
victim of a murderous trick--fell without a word or a cry.

The Captain turned slowly, and faced me with his bloody sword in his
hand. I can't tell you how he looked; I can only say that the sight of
him turned me faint with terror. I was at Waterloo--I am no coward. But
I tell you the cold sweat poured down my face like water. I should have
dropped if I had not held by the branch of a tree.

My master waited until I had in a measure recovered myself. "Feel if his
heart beats," he said, pointing to the man on the ground.

I obeyed. He was dead--the heart was still; the beat of the pulse was
gone. I said, "You have killed him!"

The Captain made no answer. He packed up the two swords again in the
canvas, and put them under his arm. Then he told me to follow him with
the sketching materials. I drew back from him without speaking; there
was a horrid hollow sound in his voice that I did not like. "Do as I
tell you," he sa