"It is the next station. We shall stop there ten minutes; we shall have lots of time to exchange shots."
"All right," replied Mr. Fogg; "I will stop at Plum Creek."
"I guess you will stay there altogether," replied the American, with unparalleled insolence.
"Who knows?" replied Mr. Fogg, entering the car as coolly as ever, and commenced to reassure Mrs. Aouda, by telling her that braggarts need never be feared. He then asked Fix to be his second in the approaching duel, which Fix could not well refuse to be; and then Phileas Fogg sat down quietly and resumed his whist, without betraying the least emotion.
At eleven o'clock the whistle of the engine announced their approach to Plum Creek. Mr. Fogg got up, and followed by Fix and Passe-partout, carrying a brace of revolvers, went out upon the platform. Mrs. Aouda remained in the car, as pale as death.
At that moment the door of the next car opened, and Colonel Proctor appeared, followed by his second, a Yankee of the same stamp as himself. They were about to descend when the guard ran up and said, "You cannot get out, gentlemen."
"Why not?" demanded the Colonel.
"We are twenty minutes late, and cannot stop."
"But I am going to fight a duel with this gentleman."
"I am very sorry," said the guard, "but we must be off at once; there is the bell ringing."