He had been brought up in the country, where his father practised
medicine. There all his leisure had been spent in manly sports,
riding, running, shooting, fencing; all these things he had gone in
for as a boy, with the result that the town-bred Landauer, though an
expert swordsman, was not, as regards physical training, to be
compared with him.

Helmar hoped at some future date to succeed his father in his
practice, and to that end had worked hard, using, as a matter of
fact, the University recreation rooms and grounds very little. It
was, therefore, not strange that his companions should doubt his
ability to meet his adversary with any chance of success.

It is often small things that alter the course of a man's life, and
so it was with Helmar. What he thought to be but a mere incident in
his career turned out to be the cross-roads of his existence.

During the time which elapsed before the duel, he pursued his
studies in the same indomitable fashion, considering but little of
his chances, assuring himself only of the justness of his cause.

His friend Osterberg, however, was greatly concerned, and passed
many sleepless nights weighing the possibilities of what might
happen. Although he was to become a clergyman, and duelling was
forbidden him, he nevertheless had plenty of fight in him, and many
times wished that he could relieve his friend of the self-imposed
risk he was taking on his behalf.

Landauer, on the other hand, had too much of the vanity of the bully
to cause him any uneasiness. He was confident of his own superiority
over Helmar, and discussed his inevitable success wherever
opportunity arose.

The day at last arrived, and early in the morning the combatants met
at the appointed place. Doctor Hertz was in attendance, and as the
two young men stripped and stood grasping the hilts of their swords,
he eyed them critically.

Landauer he passed over with a glance, his neat, lithe figure was
quite familiar to him, he knew his powers to a fraction, and was
perfectly aware that he would give a good account of himself.

With George Helmar it was different. He had never seen him
before--it was his first appearance in the duelling world. The
doctor's critical glance quickly turned into one of admiration. The
tall, loose figure, though perhaps not beautiful in an artistic
sense, pleased him greatly. Helmar's back and chest were ribbed with
beautifully developed muscles, while his long, sinewy arms hung