The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

A Strange Revenge. 329
" • One yard,' responded Jamie, undoing the straps of
a case of dimensions sufficient to harbour a dozen horse
pistols. ' My principal, being the aggrieved party, has
choice of distance as well as of weapons,' he added.
" ' Good heavens, that will be sheer murder,' exclaimed
the opposing second, and he exchanged a frightened glance
with Walsh, who was observed to turn a shade paler at the
announcement.
'" Do you refuse to fight ?' was Jamie's nonchalant and
insulting retort.
'" Certainly not—nose to nose if you like,' said Walsh
advancing in great style, with arms akimbo.
"At this stage I divested myself of my upper garments,
and rolled up my shirt sleeves ; all with a coolness and
deliberation which had a marvellous effect upon Mr Walsh,
I assure you. Then, selecting my ground, I asked
" ' Are you ready ?'
" ' Not without the weapons,' said he.
"'Advance to within one }'ard,' commanded Jamie, so
peremptorily that Walsh at once advanced to within a
single pace of where I was standing.
" ' Now,' said I, ' the
and the hand shall wipe it out'
—
insult was inflicted b)- the hand,
" I never saw a human being so flabbergasted in all
my life as Walsh was at that moment, when I began to
dance round him, displaying all the latest tips in fist war-
fare. At first I really thought he would positively refuse
to fight.
" ' Come on, you coward,' I cried.
" That made his blood boil, for he had spunk, the fellow,
and he came on, in amateur fashion, to receive as neat and
effectual a chastisement as a man ever deserved in his life.
At the fifth round he collapsed, beaten to sticks, and was
tenderly removed between his second and the doctor. We
stayed to drink his better health, the ' weapons' Jamie had
unstrapped consisting of a couple of champagne. So
ended what became known in the county as ' Stuart's duel !'
^