Rose Mortimer; Or, The Ballet-Girl's Revenge — page 113: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BALLET-GIRL’S REVENGE. 107 “ What for?” demanded one of the gentlemen. “Home to fetch the tools.” Arrived at the residence of Sir Harold King, in Harley Street, the whole of the party were shown into -along room shut in by two thickly-padded doors. This Sir Harold called his shooting gallery. “* Shooting gallery ?”” remarked one of the gentle- men. ‘‘ Do you practise much, Sir Harold ?”’ ** Yes, every morning.’’ ** Humph !” The two seconds coughed and looked significantly at the major. Sir Harold King produced two cases of pistols. He opened both, and offered them to the major. “They are loaded,” he said. “Good,” returned the major. IIe took up the heaviest carelessly, and fired at a target at the end of the gallery. ** A bull’s eye, by the Lord Harry !” ejaculated one of the gentlemen. Sir Harold took up a pistol with his left hand and turned his back to the target, turned sharply round, and fired without even pausing to level. ** Another bull’s eye !”’ ‘‘ Splendid firing !” “This is nothing, gentlemen,’’ said Sir Harold King. ‘“‘ One can’t very well miss, you see.” _ **T might,’’ said one. “And J, too,” said another. ‘‘ Believe me, gentle- men, this had better not.proceed any further.” “‘Sir,”’ said the baronet sternly, ‘‘ it must and shall proceed.”’ “Of course,’’ said the major. But his tone, in spite of himself, was much less decided than that of his adversary. The major had counted upon his accurate aim to bring him safely through this business, which looked so ugly at present. Now, seeing the other was a better shot, it looked awkward. - The weapons were loaded. Both the cases were taken, to avoid the trouble of reloading, as Sir Havold said. This rather startled the opponent and the two seconds. © He meant it, then, to be a duel @ l’owtrance. They re-entered the cab and drove off rapidly in the direction of Hampstead Heath. Here Sir Harold led them to asecluded spot. It was the very place of all others for an affair of honour. Quiet and away from all habitations. “‘ This is rather snug,” said one. “Tt is,’ said Sir Harold. ‘1 pinked off Lord Gus Hervey there.” Indeed ?”’ “Yes. It isa fortunate bit of ground tome.” The major was very silent and reserved now. If one could have read his inmost heart then, it would haye been seen that he wished himself most heartily through the duel. He buttoned over his coat—a close-fitting surtout— to the neck. Wot a speck of white was to be seen upon his person. Nothing which could serve his adversary in the least. Sir Harold, on the contrary, took no pains with his toilette. He simply changed his hat for a shooting cap with a long peak to shade the eyes. During the journey the major had been observed to whisper to his second, and when the proceedings fur the encounter were in progress upon the heath the latter objected to the distance chosen. “T understand,” said Sir Harold. ‘‘ But he oyver- | | reaches himself there. J. shal] not be less steady at another range, and he runs more risk.”’ ** Indeed ?”’ ‘* Ay, I never miss at sixteen paces.” “Then it seems to me that he stands more chance at other distances.”’ ce No.” “* How not?” **T shall not miss at any pace, but at sixteen paces I shoot so true that I could hit when I pleased. As it is, I must risk it.” The confidence in Sir Harold King’s tone rather took the party by surprise. Major Strangeways looked very far from being com- fortable now. The combatants were placed back to back. It was arranged that they were to fire at twenty paces distance. ! They were to walk forward ten paces each way, turn, and fire simultaneously. The major measured off his ten paces with good military strides. Then turned sharply, levelled, and fired. The baronet had uot time to fire. He stood still, quite calm. ‘Curse it!’? muttered the major. “You fire hastily,” said the baronet coolly. “You try all your assassivations too hastily. Your poison was given with a trembling hand, or I should not now live to cry quits with you.” The major turned pale. A deathly hue overspread his face, so marked that the seconds could not fail to observe it. His knees appeared to be giving way, and he turned half round. | ‘He wants to run away,” said Sir Harold, laugh- ing. ‘No, no. He’s had two tries at my life to- day, so here goes for the return match.” “Don’t turn your back, major,” said one of the gentlemen in disgust. The words appeared to frighten Major Strangeways heartily. : . He presented his full front immediately. “Ah! that’s stupidly venturesome,” said one of the seconds. ‘‘ It’s against all the laws of the duello, and you run double the risk.”’ The baronet enjoyed his adversary’s terror, and he raised his pistol to aim with the cruellest deliberation. ** Good night, major !” There was arepott. The smoke cleared away, and Major Strangeways was seen still standing, and more upright than before. *€ Missed 1°” ‘** Missed !”” said the other second. “Missed, by jingo!” exclaimed Sir Harold King, as if in astonishment. Major Strangeways did not utter a word. He raised his hand, as if about to address some of them, shook slightly, and fell full length upon the ground. The seconds hastened to his side. ** By Heavens ! he was struck. He’s dead !” It was true. Major Strangeways was no more. Yet no blood was to be seen. One of the two tore off his coat and waistcoat. Something hard encountered the touch beneath the front of his shirt. What could it mean? They dragged it open, to search for the wound, and then discovered that the major’s breast was protected by a fine steel mail shirt. This, then, was the secret of the duellist’s many successes. A paper fell from his breast, which SirHarold picked up and eagerly deciphered. COTA