“What time will you return?” asked father, as we got into the carriage.
“Don’t look for us until you see us,” I said, slamming the carriage door, and concealing beneath my shawl my case of Derringers, which Ellerton had agreed to use.
A thought of coming back alone flitted like a raven of despair across my mind, but I shook it off and assumed cheerfulness.
As we entered the boat I noticed Ellerton and Brazon on the forward deck, smoking with affected sang froid. We sat down near the wheel house, and watched the paddles as they churned the bluish-green water into white foam, and rocked the little skiffs passing near, with refluent waves. Across the river a short dash on the cars took us over the line and into the little town of C——.
Here we hired hacks and drove out to the place Ellerton and I had agreed on—a picturesque spot, and one which Frank and I had visited when we were boys. It was a beautiful grass plat, of half an acre, lying between two hills, and bordered with a little gurgling branch.
We had hardly gotten out and dismissed the driver for half an hour, when the other carriage drove up, and Brazon and Ellerton got out, and with them a surgeon from the town.
We bowed to each other, and Ellerton and I stepped forward to measure the ground. We divided the sun and shade as equally as possible between them, Ellerton examined and loaded the pistols, and we arranged to place our men. Brazon was smoking with apparent indifference, but that it was assumed could be seen from the nervous, trembling way he would take his cigar from his mouth, and from the frequent yawns he made. DeVare was leaning against a tree in an abstracted manner, and started when I touched his arm.
“All is ready, Ramie,” I said, conducting him to the spot assigned him. “Here, take this pistol, be cool and aim well.”
He only looked at me and smiled, but said nothing. I told Ellerton he must give the word to fire, as I dared not, and I withdrew a short distance, and stood with uncovered head, breathing a prayer which I felt was a mockery.
Ellerton raised his handkerchief while I quivered with suspense; his voice rang out loud and clear: