escape　by　flight　was　impossible；　and　that　he　had　not　a　single
  weapon　to　defend　himself　with　or　even　provoke；　in　his　desperation；
  the　struggle　that　could　forestall　ignominy　by　death。　　Nothing　was
  left　him　but　his　voice；　clear　and　trenchant　as　he　faced　them。
  〃You　are　twelve　to　one；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃but　if　there　is　a　single
  man　among　you　who　dare　step　forward　and　accuse　me　of　what　you　only
  TOGETHER　dare　do；　I　will　tell　him　he　is　a　liar　and　a　coward；　and
  stand　here　ready　to　make　it　good　against　him。　　You　come　here　as
  judge　and　jury　condemning　me　without　trial；　and　confronting　me　with
  no　accusers；　you　come　here　as　lawless　avengers　of　your　honor；　and
  you　dare　not　give　ME　the　privilege　of　as　lawlessly　defending　my
  own。〃
  There　was　another　slight　murmur　among　the　men；　but　the　leader　moved
  impatiently　forward。　　〃We've　had　enough　o'　your　preachin'：　we　want
  YOU；〃　he　said　roughly。　　〃Come。〃
  〃Stop；〃　said　a　dull　voice。
  It　came　from　a　mute　figure　which　had　remained　motionless　among　the
  others。　　Every　eye　was　turned　upon　it　as　it　rose　and　lazily　pushed
  the　cloth　from　its　face。
  〃Hiram　McKinstry！〃　said　the　others　in　mingled　tones　of　astonishment
  and　suspicion。
  〃That's　me！〃　said　McKinstry；　coming　forward　with　heavy　deliberation。
  〃I　joined　this　yer　delegation　at　the　crossroads　instead　o'　my
  brother；　who　had　the　call。　　I　reckon　et's　all　the　sameor　mebbe
  better。　　For　I　perpose　to　take　this　yer　gentleman　off　your　hands。〃
  He　lifted　his　slumbrous　eyes　for　the　first　time　to　the　master；　and
  at　the　same　time　put　himself　between　him　and　Harrison。　　〃I
  perpose；〃　he　continued；　〃to　take　him　at　his　word；　I　perpose　ter
  give　him　a　chance　to　answer　with　a　gun。　　And　ez　I　reckon；　by　all
  accounts；　there's　no　man　yer　ez　hez　a　better　right　than　ME；　I
  perpose　to　be　the　man　to　put　that　question　to　him　in　the　same　way。
  Et　may　not　suit　some　gents；〃　he　continued　slowly；　facing　an　angry
  exclamation　from　the　lank　figure　behind　him；　〃ez　would　prefer　to
  hev　eleven　men　to　take　up　THEIR　private　quo'lls；　but　even　then　I
  reckon　that　the　man　who　is　the　most　injured　hez　the　right　to　the
  first　say　and　that　man's　ME。〃
  With　a　careful　deliberation　that　had　a　double　significance　to　the
  malcontents；　he　handed　his　own　rifle　to　the　master　and　without
  looking　at　him　continued：　〃I　reckon；　sir；　you've　seen　that　afore；
  but　ef　it　ain't　quite　to　your　hand；　any　of　those　gents；　I
  kalkilate；　will　be　high…toned　enuff　to　giv　you　the　chyce　o'　theirs。
  And　there's　no　need　o'　trapsin'　beyon'　the　township　lines；　to　fix
  this　yer　affair；　I　perpose　to　do　it　in　ten　minutes　in　the　brush
  yonder。〃
  Whatever　might　have　been　the　feelings　and　intentions　of　the　men
  around　him；　the　precedence　of　McKinstry's　right　to　the　duello　was　a
  principle　too　deeply　rooted　in　their　traditions　to　deny；　if　any
  resistance　to　it　had　been　contemplated　by　some　of　them；　the　fact
  that　the　master　was　now　armed；　and　that　Mr。　McKinstry　would　quickly
  do　battle　at　his　side　with　a　revolver　in　defence　of　his　rights；
  checked　any　expression。　　They　silently　drew　back　as　the　master　and
  McKinstry　slowly　passed　out　of　the　school…house　together；　and　then
  followed　in　their　rear。　　In　that　interval　the　master　turned　to
  McKinstry　and　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　accept　your　challenge　and
  thank　you　for　it。　　You　have　never　done　me　a　greater　kindness
  whatever　I　have　done　to　YOUyet　I　want　you　to　believe　that　neither
  now　nor　THENI　meant　you　any　harm。〃
  〃Ef　you　mean　by　that；　sir；　that　ye　reckon　ye　won't　return　my　fire；
  ye're　blind　and　wrong。　　For　it　will　do　you　no　good　with　them；〃　he
  said　with　a　significant　wave　of　his　crippled　hand　towards　the
  following　crowd；　〃nor　me　neither。〃
  Firmly　resolved；　however；　that　he　would　not　fire　at　McKinstry；　and
  clinging　blindly　to　this　which　he　believed　was　the　last　idea　of　his
  foolish　life；　he　continued　on　without　another　word　until　they
  reached　the　open　strip　of　chemisal　that　flanked　the　clearing。
  The　rude　preliminaries　were　soon　settled。　　The　parties　armed　with
  rifles　were　to　fire　at　the　word　from　a　distance　of　eighty　yards；
  and　then　approach　each　other；　continuing　the　fight　with　revolvers
  until　one　or　the　other　fell。　　The　selection　of　seconds　was　effected
  by　the　elder　Harrison　acting　for　McKinstry；　and　after　a　moment's
  delay　by　the　volunteering　of　the　long；　lank　figure　previously　noted
  to　act　for　the　master。　　Preoccupied　by　other　thoughts；　Mr。　Ford
  paid　little　heed　to　his　self…elected　supporter；　who　to　the　others
  seemed　to　be　only　taking　that　method　of　showing　his　contempt　for
  McKinstry's　recent　insult。　　The　master　received　the　rifle
  mechanically　from　his　hand　and　walked　to　position。　　He　noticed；
  however；　and　remembered　afterwards　that　his　second　was　half　hidden
  by　the　trunk　of　a　large　pine　to　his　right　that　marked　the　limit　of
  the　ground。
  In　that　supreme　moment　it　must　be　recorded；　albeit　against　all
  preconceived　theory；　that　he　did　NOT　review　his　past　life；　was　NOT
  illuminated　by　a　flash　of　remorseful　or　sentimental　memory；　and　did
  NOT　commend　his　soul　to　his　Maker；　but　that　he　was　simply　and
  keenly　alive　to　the　very　actual　present　in　which　he　still　existed
  and　to　his　one　idea　of　not　firing　at　his　adversary。　　And　if
  anything　could　render　his　conduct　more　theoretically　incorrect　it
  was　a　certain　exalted　sense　that　he　was　doing　quite　right　and　was
  not　only　NOT　a　bad　sort　of　fellow；　but　one　whom　his　survivors　might
  possibly　regret！
  〃Are　you　ready；　gentlemen？　　Onetwothreefi　。　。　。　！〃
  The　explosions　were　singularly　simultaneousso　remarkable　in　fact
  that　it　seemed　to　the　master　that　his　rifle；　fired　in　the　air；　had
  given　a　DOUBLE　report。　　A　light　wreath　of　smoke　lay　between　him　and
  his　opponent。　　He　was　unhurtso　evidently　was　his　adversary；　for
  the　voice　rose　again。
  〃Advance！　。　。　。　Hallo　there！　　Stop！〃
  He　looked　up　quickly　to　see　McKinstry　stagger　and　then　fall　heavily
  to　the　ground。
  With　an　exclamation　of　horror；　the　first　and　only　terrible　emotion
  he　had　felt；　he　ran　to　the　fallen　man；　as　Harrison　reached　his　side
  at　the　same　moment。
  〃For　God's　sake；〃　he　said　wildly；　throwing　himself　on　his　knees
  beside　McKinstry；　〃what　has　happened？　　For　I　swear　to　you；　I　never
  aimed　at　you！　　I　fired　in　the　air。　　Speak！　　Tell　him；　you；〃　he
  turned　with　a　despairing　appeal　to　Harrison；　〃you　must　have　seen　it
  alltell　him　it　was　not　me！〃
  A　half　wondering；　half　incredulous　smile　passed　quickly　over
  Harrison's　face。　　〃In　course　you　didn't　MEAN　it；〃　he　said　dryly；
  〃but　let　that　slide。　　Get　up　and　get　away　from　yer；　while　you　kin；〃
  he　added　impatiently；　with　a　significant　glance　at　one　or　two　men
  who　lingered　after　the　sudden　and　general　dispersion　of　the　crowd
  at　McKinstry's　fall。　　〃Getwill　ye！〃
  〃Never！〃　said　the　young　man　passionately；　〃until　he　knows　that　it
  was　not　my　hand　that　fired　that　shot。〃
  McKinstry　painfully　struggled　to　his　elbow。　　〃It　took　me　yere；〃　he
  said　with　a　slow　deliberation；　as　if　answering　some　previous
  question；　and　pointing　to　his　hip；　〃and　it　kinder　let　me　down　when
  I　started　forward　at　the　second　call。〃
  〃But　it　was　not　I　who　did　it；　McKinstry；　I　swear　it。　　Hear　me！　　For
  God's　sake；　say　you　believe　me。〃
  McKinstry　turned　his　drowsy　troubled　eyes　upon　the　master　as　if　he
  were　vaguely　recalling　something。　　〃Stand　back　thar　a　minit；　will
  ye；〃　he　said　to　Harrison；　with　a　languid　wave　of　his　crippled　hand；
  〃I　want　ter　speak　to　this　yer　man。〃
  Harrison　drew　back　a　few　paces　and　the　master　sought　to　take　the
  wounded　man's　hand；　but　he　was　stopped　by　a　gesture。　　〃Where　hev
  you　put　Cressy？〃　McKinstry　said　slowly。
  〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　stammered　Ford。
  〃Where　are　you　hidin'　her　from　me？〃　repeated　McKinstry　with　painful
  distinctness。　　〃Whar　hev　you　run　her　to；　that　you're　reckonin'　to
  jine　her　arterarterTHIS？〃
  〃I　am　not　hiding　her！　　I　am　not　going　to　her！　　I　do　not　know　where
  she　is。　　I　have　not　seen　her　since　we　parted　early　this　morning
  without　a　word　of　meeting　again；〃　said　the　master　rapidly；　yet　with
  a　bewildered　astonishment　that　was　obvious　even　to　the　dulled
  faculties　of　his　hearer。
  〃That　war　true？〃　asked　McKinstry；　laying　his　hand　upon　the　master's
  shoulder　and　bringing　his　dull　eyes　to　the　level　of　the　young
  man's。
  〃It　is　the　whole　truth；〃　said　Ford　fervently；　〃and　true　also　that　I
  never　raised　my　hand　against　you。〃
  McKinstry　beckoned　to　Harrison　and　the　two　others　who　had　joined
  him；　and　then　sank　partly　back　with　his　hand　upon　his　side；　where
  the　slow　empurpling　of　his　red　shirt　showed　the　slight　ooze　of　a
  deeply…seated　wound。
  〃You　fellers　kin　take　me　over　to　the　ranch；〃　he　said　calmly；　〃and
  let　him；〃　pointing　to　Ford；　〃ride　your　best　hoss　fer　the　doctor。　　I
  don't；〃　he　continued　in　grave　explanation；　〃gin'rally　use　a　doctor；
  but　this　yer　is　suthin'　outside　the　old　woman's　regular　gait。〃　　He
  paused；　and　then　drawing　the　master's　head　down　towards　him；　he
  added　in　his　ear；　〃Whe