lish waiter here, and get him to send us some coffee before we go out.
I will see to that also, as I have taken a room in the house, and intend
to stay here to-night, so as to be up in time in the morning."

"Thanks very much. You are really very good to take so much trouble,"
said the duke, with some emotion.

"No trouble, I assure you, duke; quite a pleasure," serenely answered the
colonel.

"My friend, I have left half a dozen letters locked up in my
writing-desk. I shall hand the key of that desk to you as we go out.
If I should fall, I hope you will take charge of the desk and see to
the delivery of the letters at their proper addresses," said the duke,
more gravely than he had spoken before.

"Certainly, with much pleasure. Have you also made your will?" cheerfully
inquired the colonel.

"No," shortly replied the duke.

"Then permit me to say that I think you should do so, by all means."

"There is no need. My estates are all entailed. My personal property is
not worth winning. The--duchess is provided by her own dower, which came
out of her own property, I am thankful to say. No, there is no need of a
will."

"Then allow me to suggest that we ought to go to bed. It is now two
o'clock. We must be up at five. We have just three hours to sleep,
and--if you have no other commissions for me--I will retire," said the
colonel, smoothly.

"Many thanks. I believe there is nothing more to be said or done
to-night," responded the duke, in a desponding tone--for it _cannot_
be an exhilarating anticipation to have to get up in the morning and
stand up to murder, or be murdered, even where the duellist is the
bravest of men, backed by the serenest of seconds.

"Then, since there is no further use for me this evening, I will say
good-night and pleasant dreams," said the colonel, suavely, as he slid
from the room.

Good-night and pleasant dreams to a duellist on the eve of a duel!
Was it a sarcasm on the colonel's part? By no means; it was only the
manifestation of his habitual smooth politeness.

The duke, left to himself, walked up and down the floor for a few
minutes, and then rang for his valet to attend him, and retired to bed,
leaving orders to be called at five o'clock in the morning.

Though left in quietness, he could not compose himself to sleep, but
tossed and tumbled from side to side, spending the most wakeful and the
most miserable night he had ever known in the whole course of his life.
The time s