a quiet, solitary glade in the wood of
Vincennes.

The carriage drove up under some trees on one side.

It was yet earliest morning, and the glade lay in the darksome, dewy
freshness of the dawn. There was no living creature to be seen.

"We are the first on the ground, as I always like to be," remarked
Colonel Morris, as he alighted from the carriage, bearing the pistol-case
in his hands.

He was followed by the duke, who slowly came out, stood by his side and
looked around.

The young surgeon remained in the carriage in charge of his very
suggestive and alarming instruments and appliances.

"The sun is just rising," said the duke, as the first rays sparkled up
above the rosy line of the eastern horizon.

"And look, with dramatic precision, there are our men," cheerfully
remarked the colonel, as a second carriage rolled into the glade and
drew up under the trees at a short distance from the first.

The carriage door was thrown open and the Russian Baron Blomonozoff came
out--a thin, ferocious-looking little man, with a red face, encircled by
a red beard and red hair, of all of which it would be difficult to say
which was reddest.

He was followed by the beautiful Adonis, the Count de Volaski, looking
very fair and dainty, very languid and melancholy.

The four gentlemen simultaneously raised their hats in courteous
greeting; but no words passed between them then.

The seconds advanced toward each other, and went apart to settle the
final details of the meeting. They divided their duties equally.

The colonel gave the pistol-case to the baron, who opened it and examined
the weapons. The colonel stepped off the ten paces of ground, and the
baron marked the positions to be taken by the antagonists.

Then each went after his man and placed him in position. Then the Colonel
took the case of pistols and placed it in the hands of the baron, who
carried it to his principal, that the latter might take his choice of the
pair of revolvers, in accordance with the terms of the meeting.

The count took the first that came to hand. The baron carried back the
case to the colonel, who placed the remaining weapon in the hands of the
duke.

The antagonists stood opposite each other in a line of ten paces running
north and south, so that the sun was equally divided between them. The
seconds stood opposite each other, in a line of six paces running east
and west, across the line of their principals; so that the positions