Related article: He was an old lieutenant, whom fortune had treated hardly, and who was still in the subordinate ranks. He spoke in a steady, sober voice, as though he had taken but little part in the night's debauch. ** But I think the matter might be arranged with- out exchanging shots. Both youngsters were to blame, and Vicars gave the first offence." ** Indeed, Mr. Aylward, and I'm surprised ye should talk like that," retorted O'Donohoe, with infinite scorn. " Offence or no offence, ye must be perfectly well aware that a blow is strictly pro- hibited under any circumstances amongst gentlemen. I can show it you in black and white. It stands * five ' in the * Points of Honour.' " ** I don't want you, Captain O'Donohoe, or anyone else, to teach me the Code. But I do say it is a pity there should be bloodshed over this trumpery business." "Will ye accept the alterna- tive ? Ye know it, I suppose. Place a cane in my man's hand and let him take it out by dusting your man's back, who must beg pardon too, for the first blow. Does that suit ye ? " "No, I cannot agree to that for Mr. St. Clair," replied my second, stiffly. ** Then matters must take their course. Rule * five ' says clearly they must fire on at each other until one o|^)th is disabled, un- less, after Vlw shots, your man is prepared to apologise." "Well, if you are so deter- mined, they must fight, I suppose. But I know the rules as well as you do. Captain O'Donohoe, and • fifteen ' in Purchase Inderal La the * Points of Honour Buy Inderal La ' says • challenges are never to be delivered at night, for it is desirable to avoid all hot- headed proceedings.' " " The Code says that, sorra a doubt,, and we'll conform to it. I shall call on you, Mr. Aylward, at the peep of day, and we can take a turn in the Fanix before the dew is off the grass." " I am to parade for recruits' drill at 7 a.m.," I mildly put in. 1897.] MY Buy Cheap Inderal La grandfather's JOURNALS. 199 " and bope I shall not be kept ." " Maybe you'll be kept longer than you like," brutally replied O'Donohoe, expecting to raise a laugh from those around. But the quarrel and its possibly serious consequences had put an end to all gaiety, and the mess soon afterwards broke up. Aylward saw me to my quarters, speaking a few kindly words, and offering a little sound practical advice by the way. ** It isn't the sort of welcome you've a right to expect the first night you join, St. Clair, and for my own part I don't see why you should fight. But it's too late to back out. The regiment wouldn't like it. There have been one or two shady Order Inderal La Online cases in the garrison lately. * Colepepper's ' won't have it said that any one of ours has shown the white feather. It would not be good for you, either. You are on your probation, and must not hesitate at your first blood. Can you shoot ? " *' I can break the neck of a bottle at twenty paces " "A bottle! Ah, but not a loaded one. However, drop your head into a bucket of water now, and try to get a little sleep, it's a wonderful steadier, and you've got five or Order Inderal La six hours before you — sleep if you can." I could, in spite of all the excitement, and woke calm Buy Inderal La Online and refreshed, able to write a few farewell lines to the dear old dad in case anything should happen to me. I could not forget that I was about to risk my life, and yet I will honestly say, with no attempt at bravado, that, although this was the first occasion of my going under fire, I was not particularly Generic Inderal La nervous. I knew that I must fight, and, having no choice, meant to put the best face upon it, whether I liked it or not. We all reached the Phoenix Park about the same time, travelling on outside cars. Our seconds both car- ried neat brass-bound mahogany cases, and from the significant way in which O'Donohoe tapped his box, I knew that they con- tained his pistols, the redoubtable "Sugar-lips" and "The Daisy." Aylward was also much struck with them I could see; he ex- pressed his willingness that they should be used first, then, if there was no disablement, at the first fire, his. He could not leave O'Donohoe's case of pis- tols at all, but kept handling the weapons, examining them in turns, aiming with them, while the other second chose the ground and paced it. Then came the loading ; a most punctiliously slow and careful operation, under the eyes of both. At last the preliminaries were all settled, and my adversary faced me, ))istol in hand. We were both mere boys; he was within a year of my own age, although I think he looked younger, and I had not yet attained sixteen. Yet here we were about to take, or try to take, each other's lives. I had no quarrel Purchase Inderal La Online with him really, and I was sure from the look on his face that he owed me no great grudge. I had struck him ; but under strong provoca- tion. He had done as bad or worse to me. W^e were comrades, brother officers ; it might be our fortune at any time to meet the enemy side by side, and now we were opposite each other with murderous weapons in our hands. I made up my mind that I would not aim at him, and I think, from his face, that he had guessed it, and was resolved to do the same. We fired at the signal, and missed handsomely. The shots went so wide that the fire-eating 200 BAILY S MAGAZINE [Seftkmbbr O'Donohoe waxed fiercely in- dignant.