stonished
comrades the substance of what Lord Fairholm had told him. Rupert's
brother officers could not believe the news; but Rupert suggested
that the matter could be easily settled if some foils were brought,
adding that half-an-hour's fencing would be useful to him, and get
his hand into work again. The proposal was agreed to, and first one
and then another of those recognized as the best swordsmen of the
regiment, took their places against him, but without exerting
himself in the slightest, he proved himself so infinitely their
superior that their doubts speedily changed into admiration, and
the meeting of the morrow was soon regarded with a feeling of not
only hope, but confidence.

It was late before Lord Fairholm rode up to the cornet's.

"Did you think I was never coming?" he asked as he entered Rupert's
quarters. "The affair has created quite an excitement, and just as
I was starting, two hours back, a message came to me to go to
headquarters. I found his lordship in a great passion, and he rated
me soundly, I can tell you, for undertaking to be second in such a
disgracefully uneven contest as this. When he had had his say, of
course I explained matters, pointed out that this German bully was
a nuisance to the whole army, and that you being, as I myself could
vouch, a sort of phenomenon with the sword, had taken the matter up
to save your brother officer from being killed. I assured him that
I had the highest authority for your being one of the best
swordsmen in Europe, and that therefore I doubted not that you were
a match for this German. I also pointed out respectfully to him
that if he were to interfere to stop it, as he had intended, the
matter would be certain to lead to many more meetings between the
officers of the two nationalities. Upon this the general after some
talk decided to allow the matter to go on, but said that whichever
way it went he would write to the generals commanding all the
divisions of the allied army, and would publish a general order to
the effect that henceforth no duels shall be permitted except after
the dispute being referred to a court of honour of five senior
officers, by whom the necessity or otherwise of the duel shall be
determined; and that in the case of any duel fought without such
preliminary, both combatants shall be dismissed the service,
whether the wounds given be serious or not. I think the proposal is
an excellent one, and likely to do much good; for in a mix