He could not, of course, meet a lady in a duel, but
he had taken advantage of the technical phraseology of the
challenged party, as to time, place and weapons, to offer her a deep
insult; then she had waylaid him on the highway, offered him his
choice of a pair of revolvers, and told him that, having met, they
should not part until one or the other fell from the horse; he had
again laughingly refused the encounter except upon the insulting
terms he had before proposed. She had then thrown him one of the
pistols, bidding him defend himself. He had laughingly passed her
when she called him by name, he had turned and she fired--six times
in succession, and he fell. He knew no more until he was brought to
his present room. He said in conclusion he did not wish that the
girl should be prosecuted, as she had only avenged her own honor;
and that he hoped his death would be taken by her and her friends as
a sufficient expiation of his offenses against her; and, lastly he
requested that he might be left alone with the minister.
"Bring that unhappy young woman over to my office, Ketchum," said
the magistrate, addressing himself to a constable. Then turning to
the landlord, he said:
"Sir, it would be a charity in you to put a messenger on horseback
and send him to Hurricane Hall for Major Warfield, who will have to
enter into a recognizance for Miss Black's appearance at court.
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