Mr. Irwin was startled, distressed, indignant.
"This is most outrageous!" he exclaimed. "I have been grossly deceived by your friend. He employed me to perform a marriage ceremony, not to attend him to a dueling-ground."
"The marriage all in good time, reverend sir. The duel was merely an episode by the way," returned Captain Van Hise airily.
"But I shall be mixed up in this notorious affair. It will do me incalculable injury. I demand to be set ashore at once," groaned the timorous preacher.
"Impossible, my dear sir, dearly as I would love to oblige you. The yacht is already under way escaping pursuit. Besides, you may be needed presently to soothe the last hours of a dying sinner, which is even more important than the tying of a matrimonial knot, I take it; so be tranquil, please. No harm shall come to you from this."
The clergyman saw that all remonstrances were useless; he must accept the situation.
"And you believe that Mr. Mountcastle will die?" he asked in a tone of awe.
"Can't say, but hope not. The doctor is dressing his wound now—shoulder—ball went clean through. Poor fellow's having hard luck lately! Stabbed and left for dead on the beach three weeks ago, and barely out of bed when he came to New York to challenge Kayne. Yes, dismal affair, very, but couldn't be helped, you know."
The half-crazed Nita had already been told part of the truth by Captain Van Hise.