CHAPTER XIX.
THE DUEL.
"It seems to me," said Hal quietly, "that there is enough fighting to bedone at the front without fighting among ourselves. Besides, we haveimportant business in Paris immediately."
"It won't take long to dispose of this fellow, Hal," said Chestersignificantly.
"Perhaps not," replied Hal, "but you know there is always the chance thatyou may fall. Then they would probably drag me into it, and, if I wentdown, what would happen to the document we bear?"
"That's true," said Chester. He turned to his adversary. "Is itunderstood," he asked, "that, if I fall, there is an end of the quarrel?"
The Frenchman bowed in assent.
"And if you kill me," he said, "my friends will not molest you."
"Well, that suits me," said Chester. "Where and when are we going tofight this thing out?"
"Immediately," was the reply; "and, with our host's permission, we shallfight right here, monsieur."
"Any place suits me," said Chester. "And the weapons?"
"The choice lies with you, _monsieur_."
"Very good," said Chester. "Revolvers at ten paces!"
"Ten paces!" exclaimed one of the Frenchmen, stepping back in surprise."Surely _monsieur_ is jesting!"
"Not a bit of it," replied Chester quietly. "I want to get close enoughto make sure I can't miss him."
"But, _monsieur_," protested one of the Frenchmen, "it will make it thatmuch easier for your opponent to hit you also."
"He won't hit me," said Chester. "Don't you worry about that. Revolversat ten paces, or there will be no fight."
The French officer who had volunteered to act as the other'ssecond bowed.
"It shall be as _monsieur_ desires," he said.
The revolvers of the others, which had covered Hal, were now lowered, andthe lad was allowed to pick up his weapons. He approached Chester.
"Are you sure you can get him?" he asked.
"Dead certain," replied Chester. "Look at him now. See how he's shaking.It's the ten paces that did that. He knows I can't possibly miss him atthat distance, and he is consequently nervous for fear his first shotmay go wild."
There was truth in the lad's words. Chester's antagonist was plainlynervous, and he and his second talked together in low tones. Finally thesecond came over to Hal.
"My friend," he said, "wishing to spare your friend's life, is willing toaccept his apology."
"There'll be no apology," growled Chester, who had overheard this remark.
"But the ten paces, _monsieur_," protested the Frenchman. "It will bemurder. My friend is a crack shot. At the distance he cannot miss. Hewould give your friend a chance for his life by lengthening thedistance."
"Ten paces or nothing," replied Hal.
The Frenchman bowed and returned to his principal. They conversed in lowtones, and finally the second announced that the terms were satisfactory.
As the two principals came together Hal perceived a peculiar gleam in theeye of the Frenchman, and realized in a moment that Chester's antagonisthad some scheme up his sleeve. Hal thought rapidly, and then drew abreath of relief. He believed he had solved the Frenchman's plan and hedetermined to thwart it.
The two principals, according to the arrangements made, were to standback to back, and, at the count of three, each take five steps, turn andfire at will. Each weapon had been carefully examined by both seconds andall cartridges removed but two. Consequently, each was to be allowed twoshots, if necessary, and, in the event that neither fell, honor was to bedeclared appeased. It was also stipulated that should one of theprincipals fire before he had taken five paces he should be shot down bythe other's second.
The seconds were the only two permitted to have arms besides theprincipals. Hal had insisted upon this, and, accordingly, the othersturned their weapons over to the proprietor, who, at Hal's command, hadtaken them to the next room.
Chester and his opponent stood back to back, and Hal, who had called thetoss of a coin, began to count:
"One! Two! Three!"
At the word Chester and the French officer who had stood in the center ofthe room walked slowly away from each other with measured stride.
Two steps, three, four, the young Frenchman took, and then wheeledsuddenly and brought his revolver to bear upon the back of hisantagonist, who was taking the full five strides. The Frenchman's fingertightened on the trigger.
But Hal had been watching him like a hawk. His quick mind had detectedthe treachery of the Frenchman before the two had taken their places, andhe held his own revolver ready, as did the Frenchman's second.
As the Frenchman wheeled suddenly, upon his fourth step, and his fingerpressed the trigger, Hal's own weapon spoke suddenly. With a cry theFrenchman threw up both hands, and pitched to the floor on his face.
The next moment Hal's revolver covered the Frenchman's second, before thelatter could raise his own weapon--had such been his intention--and in astern voice the lad cried:
"So this is French bravery, eh? You shoot men in the back! No wonder yourprincipal agreed upon ten paces."
Chester, having wheeled quickly at his fifth step, took in the situationat a glance, and his revolver covered the other French officers. One ofthe latter, raising a hand, stepped forward.
"_Monsieur_," he said quietly to Chester, "I would have you believe thatneither I nor my friends had a hand in this. Had we known what our friendcontemplated, we would not have allowed the duel to proceed."
Chester glanced at the Frenchman keenly for a moment, then loweredhis revolver.
"I believe you," he said simply.
Hal also now lowered the weapon with which he had covered the Frenchman'ssecond, and the latter also made profuse protests of innocence, whichboth lads believed to be true. Then he bent over Chester's lateantagonist.
"He is still alive," he said, looking up after an examination. "Thebullet struck him in the chest. With proper attention he will recover."He approached Chester and held out his hand. "I regret this unpleasantincident exceedingly," he said. "I trust you will absolve us from blame."
"Of course," said Chester, grasping the outstretched hand. "I would beloath to believe that all Frenchmen are not true soldiers and honorablegentlemen."
Hal also shook hands all around with the young Frenchmen, and a fewmoments later announced that they must be on their way. The Frenchmenescorted them to their car, which was now ready and waiting for them,and, as Hal sent it forward with a lurch, they sped the lads on their waywith rousing cheers.
"By Jove! That was a pretty narrow squeak!" Chester called over Hal'sshoulder, as the car swept from the little city of Nanteul and sped onacross the open country. "If you hadn't been on the alert I would be withthe angels now."
"I don't know how I came to suspect him," replied Hal, also raising hisvoice to a shout, to make himself heard above the roaring of the flyingautomobile. "Something seemed to tell me he was up to some deviltry, andI figured it out before you took your places. So, when he turned beforetime, I was ready for him."
"And a good thing for me that you were," Chester muttered to himself.
The car sped on.
Through Dammartin they dashed with slightly diminished speed, and,bearing off a trifle to the north, passed through St. Gonesse. Tenminutes later they came within sight of Paris and Hal slowed down.
"Well, I guess we won't have any more trouble before we get to Paris," hesaid. "I judge that we are on the outskirts now."
The car continued at a more moderate gait. Passing vehicles became morefrequent now, and the lad was forced to go very slowly in some places toavoid dense crowds of pedestrians and troops.
"Where are we going to find the Prime Minister, Hal?" asked Chester.
"By Jove! I hadn't thought of that!" exclaimed Hal. "We'll have tofind out."
They were in the very heart of the city now. Hal brought the car to astand, near one of the city's police officers and accosted the latterin French.
"We bear a communicat
ion from General Joffre to the Prime Minister," hesaid. "Can you tell us where to find him? We are strangers in the city."
The policeman was very polite. He signaled another officer, who waspassing, and repeated Hal's request. The latter immediately climbed intothe car beside Hal.
"I happen to know," he said, "that the Prime Minister at the presentmoment is at the Chamber of Deputies, where he is making an address. Ifyour business is important, no doubt you will be permitted to see him assoon as he has concluded."
He pointed out the way, and Hal drove the car slowly along the streets.They drew up at last before an imposing building, which, the policemaninformed them, was where the Chamber of Deputies sat. The lads alightedand ascended the steps.
At the entrance they were stopped by a soldier, who demanded theirbusiness.
"We bear a message from General Joffre to the Prime Minister," said Hal.
The soldier summoned an officer, to whom Hal repeated their errand. Thelatter motioned the lads to follow him, and showed them into awaiting-room and took his departure, ordering them to wait.
"The Prime Minister has concluded his address," he told them. "I shalltake your message."
Half an hour later a man appeared in the doorway. He was slender andrather tall. "Lieutenants Paine and Crawford?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," replied the lads, getting to their feet.
"I," said the newcomer, "am the Prime Minister."