Seconds Pendleton and Van Ness toss a dollar piece. Pendleton wins word and choice of position.
Ten paces are stepped off. Second Pendleton places his man at the up-the-river end of the six-foot grassy shelf. Aaron, pistol in hand, is given the other end. The word is to be:
“Present!—one—two—three—stop!” As the two stand in position, Aaron is confident, deadly, implacable; Hamilton looks the man already lost.
Seconds Pendleton and Van Ness retire out of range.
“Gentlemen, are you ready?”.
“Ready!” says Aaron.
“Ready!” says Hamilton.
There is a pause, heavy with death. Then comes:
“Present!———-”
There is a flash and a roar!—a double flash, a double roar! The smoke curls, the rocks echo! Hamilton, with a stifled moan, reels, clutches at nothing, and pitches forward on his face—shot through and through. The Hamilton lead, wild and high, cuts a twig above Aaron’s head.