Four Canadian Highwaymen | Page 8

very sorry; at the same time I must point out to you the propriety
of at once requesting him to unwrap, that we may proceed. You are
aware, I presume, of the quantity and denomination of the apparel for

such an occasion.' Drummond joined the bulky Mr. Ham; and it was
noticed as he conversed that that gentleman turned from his morning
pallor to a positive yellow. He at first seemed to refuse; but at last, with
a cry much like the low whine of a terrified animal, he began to take off
his wraps. In doing this he turned his back upon the other party.
'You will pardon me, gentlemen,' Harland said, as he stepped to the
front; 'but I believe I have the right under such extraordinary
circumstances to obtrude myself here.'
'What do you mean, sir? How dare you come here?' cried Mr. Ham in
his fear and rage.
'To see that you are disrobed properly, Mr. Ham. If you will permit it
the medical gentleman here will decide whether upon such a windless,
sunny morning, you require all this raiment. At least you will not
require all this leather,' he exclaimed, as he drew out a huge piece
which had been fitted so as to cover the entire front of the hero's body
down to the hips. 'You don't consider wraps of this sort necessary for a
man with a cold, do you, doctor?' Harland asked, turning to the medical
gentleman.
'No; I have not during my practice seen such remedies for colds,' the
doctor replied, with a humorous twinkle in his eye. The high-bred Mr.
Ham was a most pitiable object to look upon as his friend proceeded to
divest him of a horse blanket.
'As a real guarantee against added chill, Mr. Ham should have provided
himself with a buffalo robe, Mr. Drummond.' Harland observed
--"skinny aide out and woolly side in," you know. We could not have
objected so much to that.'
'What!' gasped out the brave Mr. Ham, while a gleam of hope shot
through his eyes like a sunbeam, 'Mr. Drummond could ride away and
get me one in fifteen minutes.'
'Mr. Drummond,' replied Harland, 'this would be absurd. The thing will
be all over in three minutes.'

'But it would keep me warm going home.'
'For only three minutes longer, however,' Harland again replied,
addressing the second. 'Besides,' he added, 'it might be'--and here
stopped short with the manifest intention of torturing the cowardly
wretch. It was noticed by Roland that Ham was constantly casting his
eyes up the hollow, as if expecting somebody. At last a thought flashed
upon him.
'Mr. Harland, I believe that craven has notified the officers of justice,
and that he expects them to come and break up the affair. Let us
therefore proceed. He may keep on the remainder of his wraps. No
delay; measure off the ground.' The two seconds then measured off
fifteen paces, and stopped.
'Not such a short distance as that!' shrieked Mr. Ham.
'Why, I thought your friend never fired except with a shot-gun at
crows?' Harland observed. 'But it appears that he is a crack shot. And
so generous, too; since the greater distance is intended no doubt for the
safety of Mr. Gray.' This was said in a tone just loud enough to be
heard by all the rest.
'Ask Mr. Ham what distance he would propose--I have no objection to
the inquiry.'
'What distance would you propose, Mr. Ham!' inquired the second.
'My pistol will carry at least a hundred yards; I drove a ball through an
inch board with her yesterday. Why not make it, say eighty paces?'
'Because, Mr. Drummond,' Harland replied, 'over fifteen paces is
"poltroon distance," and, besides, our pistols do not carry effectively
more than twenty paces. We will not, however, under any
circumstances, fight on "poltroon distance."'
'I agree,' replied Mr. Drummond.

'Now then, gentlemen, take your places.'
The doctor whispered to Roland: 'Is it fair, quite, to fight him when he
says that you are a crack shot, and that he has never fired?'
'He lies, doctor; it is the other way. I learn that from childhood he has
been firing at all sorts of things with pistols; and _I have never fired a
pistol shot in my life._'
'Your places, gentlemen,' cried Drummond. Roland was already at his
post; but his opponent was not yet upon his ground.
'Why this unseemly haste?' he gasped. 'I am so unsteadied by my illness,
that I am really not in a position yet to take my ground.' Harland spoke
a word or two to Drummond, and then said in a voice distinct and
audible to all:
'If after I call three Mr. Ham is not upon his ground the affair shall be
declared off.