measure the
ground, and be everybody's second."

Savanadero measured the ground, and handed a pistol to each combatant,
and struck an imposing attitude apart.

"Are you ready, gentlemen?" said this Jack-o'-both-sides.

"Yes!" said both.

Just as the signal was about to be given, an interruption occurred. "I
beg your pardon, sir," said Lord Ipsden to his antagonist; "I am going
to take a _liberty--a great liberty_ with you, but I think you will find
your pistol is only at half cock."

"Thank you, my lord; what am I to do with the thing?"

"Draw back the cock so, and be ready to fire?"

"So?" _Bang!_

He had touched the trigger as well as the cock, so off went the barker;
and after a considerable pause the field-marshal sprang yelling into the
air.

"Hallo!" cried Mr. Gatty.

"Ah! oh! I'm a dead man," whined the general.

"Nonsense!" said Ipsden, after a moment of anxiety. "Give yourself no
concern, sir," said he, soothingly, to his antagonist--"a mere accident.
Mare'chal, reload Mr. Gatty's pistol."

"Excuse me, my lord--"

"Load his pistol directly," said his lordship, sternly; "and behave like
a gentleman."

"My lord! my lord! but where shall I stand to be safe?"

"Behind me!"

The commander of division advanced reluctantly for Gatty's pistol.

"No, my lord!" said Gatty, "it is plain I am not a fit antagonist; I
shall but expose myself--and my mother has separated us; I have lost
her--if you do not win her some worse man may; but, oh! if you are a
man, use her tenderly."

"Whom?"

"Christie Johnstone! Oh, sir, do not make her regret me too much! She
was my treasure, my consolation--she was to be my wife, she would have
cheered the road of life--it is a desert now. I loved her--I--I--"

Here the poor fellow choked.

Lord Ipsden turned round, and threw his pistol to Saunders, saying,
"Catch that, Saunders."

Saunders, on the contrary, by a single motion changed his person from
a vertical straight line to a horizontal line exactly parallel with the
earth's surface, and the weapon sang innoxious over him.

His lordship then, with a noble defiance of etiquette, walked up to his
antagonist and gave him his hand, with a motion no one could resist; for
he felt for the poor fellow.

"It is all a mistake," said he. "There is no sentiment between La
Johnstone and me but mutual esteem. I will explain the whole thing. _I_
admire _her_ for her virtue, her wit, her innocence, her goodness and
all tha