“Insists on!  Will he allow neither the tenant nor the yeoman the use of his free will, Mr. Fenton?  I see nothing now remains but to refer you to my friend, Captain Ormsby, who will assist you in making all the necessary arrangements; and the sooner this unpleasant matter is terminated; the better.”

After bidding each other good morning, Mr. Fenton departed to make, as Hartley termed them, “the necessary arrangements.”

The next morning at day-break, in a paddock about two miles from Castle Cumber, there stood a very elegant young man, of a high and aristocratic bearing, accompanied by Mr. Fenton, to whom he appeared to be relating some pleasant anecdote, if one could judge by the cheerful features of the narrator, and the laughter of his companion.  A carriage stood by a kind of scalp in the road, which carriage contained a medical man, who, indeed, was present with great reluctance.  In a few minutes a gig, containing two persons, drove to the same spot at a rapid pace, a gentleman on horseback accompanying it; these were Mr. Hartley, his friend, Captain Ormsby, and a medical gentleman, whom he also had brought on the occasion.

On meeting the two principals bowed politely, addressing each other in friendly terms, and were actually advancing to shake hands, when they mutually checked themselves, and Hartley, smiling, said:—­

“My Lord, I fear that this is really a foolish business—­why, it is literally fighting a duel upon abstract principles.”

“It is fighting a duel upon a principle, which, either abstract or not, I will always support.  If, however, you wish to avoid a duel, Mr. Hartley, you have only to withdraw the offensive term you applied to the principle in question.”

“As soon, my Lord, as you renounce the principle itself.”

“Enough,” said Lord Cumber, “gentlemen, please to let us take our ground.”

Nothing could surpass the coolness, the ease of manner, and fine bearing of both.  The ground was measured at twelve paces, and it was agreed by the seconds, from principles of humanity, that they should fire by signal.  Indeed, we may say here, that the seconds did everything that men so circumstanced could do, to prevent the necessity of fighting.  Each, however, was high-minded and courageous, and knowing that his opponent was remarkable for bravery and success as a duellist, refused to make any concession.  They accordingly took their grounds, resolved to abide the event.

Having been placed, the seconds, previous to their agreement as to the signal to be given, withdrew a little, so as to be completely out of hearing.  While discussing this point, a circumstance occurred worthy of notice, and, we must say, the high-minded courage which it manifested ought to have restrained Lord Cumber, as a man of honor, from turning a pistol against Hartley on the occasion.  Both were standing, as we have said, awaiting the signal to fire, when Hartley said:—­