"Then I suppose that you will refer me to a friend with whom I can consult, and settle all preliminary arrangements?" inquired the officer.
"Tell me," asked Fred, for the first time looking serious, "is your friend really in earnest in this matter?"
"I have to inform you that, he is, sir; and that, as his friend, I have promised to see him through the affair with honor," our visitor replied.
"Then I will gratify his lighting propensities, as I do not feel disposed to retract words which, under the circumstances, he should have considered as harmless. Jack, my boy," Fred said, turning to me, "will you settle with this gentleman when the affair shall come off, and act by me the part of a friend?"
I knew the nature of the man too well to try and dissuade him from the duel—the most that I could do was to stand by him and endeavor to turn every thing to his advantage. I gave him the promise he required, when turning to Smith, who had sat at the table a patient listener, during the whole conversation, Fred said—
"Come, Smith, you and I will visit the scene of the fire, and leave them together."
"Now to business," the lieutenant said. "You are the challenged party, and have the right to choose weapons. I have a beautiful pair of pistols at the barracks, which I wish you would make choice of. You will fall in love with them at the first sight."
"Very probable," I replied, coolly; "but if pistols are to settle the quarrel, have a pair of Colt's revolvers which I know will command your admiration. Here are the two instruments," and, as I spoke, I laid them on the table.
"A murderous looking weapon, and not suited for the use of gentlemen at ten paces," Merriam said, handling the revolvers with great respect.
"So I thought," I replied composedly, "and have resolved to have nothing to do with pistols of any kind. They are an unsatisfactory weapon, and a man has got to be a good shot to put a ball just where he pleases at ten paces."