CHAPTER XIX. THE MEETING. My bloody thoughts, with violent pace, Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to human love, Swallow them up.-Shakspeare. In this You satisfy your anger and revenge; Suppose this, it will not Repair your loss; and there was never yet But shame and scandal in a victory, When, rebels unto reason, passion fought it.-Massinger. THE next morning Major Gordon was early in the saddle. Like a brave man and a soldier, he resolved to see Kate at once, and know his fate. He But he was destined to meet with a disappointment. had ridden about half a mile, when he was startled from a revery, in which she took a leading part, by the soft sound of hoofs advancing through the same path. He looked up, and recognized Kate's cousin. The influence of the preceding day had not yet left Major Gordon. He was no longer eager for a quarrel with his rival, but on the contrary was resolved, if Kate refused him, to withdraw entirely from the contest, and even to avoid Mr. Aylesford, in order to prevent the possibility of a collision. He bowed, therefore, civilly, though distantly, and was passing on, when the other stopped him by placing his horse across the narrow road. "Excuse me, Major Gordon," said Mr. Aylesford, haughtily, "but, as I was on my way to visit you, I would thank you to give me your attention for awhile. "Certainly," said the Major, politely, endeavoring to look calm, though inwardly chafed by the manner of his rival: "I wait your commands," he added, seeing that Mr. Aylesford did not speak; and he backed his horse, so as to widen the space between himself and the other. "I was astonished," said Mr. Aylesford, looking up with a frown, "to find, sir, on my return from the city, that you were paying attention to a lady engaged to myself," and he paused for a reply. Major Gordon felt his color change at this confirmation of his worst fears; but the eye of his rival was on him, and he strove to seem composed. He could not trust himself to speak, however; so he only bowed, as if for the other to proceed. "I presume, however," resumed Mr. Aylesford, "that you were not aware of the circumstance; at least such is the conclusion I have arrived at on second thoughts. I have made it my business, in consequence, to seek you, in order to state the fact, and to suggest to you, what your own sense and honor doubtless will hint also, that, for the future, your visits at Sweetwater should be made fewer, if not altogether dispensed with. For the services rendered to the ladies, my aunt, and cousin, by the party with which you were in company, when they had the misfortune to shipwrecked, I thank you, in their name." It was not possible, perhaps, to frame a speech more galling to one of his disposition than was this to Major Gordon. The taunt in regard to his honor, the sneer at his conduct at the wreck, and the supercilious tone in which Mr. Aylesford thanked him, as if he had been a mere lackey, made his blood boil. Nevertheless he endeavored to retain command of himself. He saw that a brawl between him and Kate's cousin could not but be disreputable. "I thank you, sir, for your courtesy," said the Major, at last breaking the silence, and looking his rival steadily in the face; "but as for your advice, I shall take the liberty of declining that " The hot blood mounted to the forehead of Aylesford, as, interrupting the speaker at this point, he stammered, half insane with rage— "Sir, sir, do you know who you are talking to ?" I am a gentleman, and not a mere adventurer "What do you mean, sir ?" said Major Gordon, temporarily losing control of himself, at this crowning piece of insolence and he pushed Selim close to Aylesford. "I mean what I say, sir," answered the latter, drawing back his horse, and putting his hand on his sword. But a moment's reflection recalled our hero to himself. "Put up your sword," he said, contemptously; "I have no quarrel with you. I was on my way," he continued, "to call on Miss Aylesford, and from her, if from anybody, must I receive notice that my visits are disagreeable." "Do you question my word?" fiercely said Aylesford, again interposing his horse across the road. "I merely deny your right to prescribe who shall, and who shall not visit her." "That is the same thing." And he stuttered, white with rage, “sir, sir" "Permit me to pass," said Major Gordon sternly "Never." The temptation was strong to rush Selim at his antagonist, ride him down, and pass on. But Major Gordon was still unwilling to be driven into a brawl; and therefore, after a moment's pause, during which he was conquering his anger, he wheeled his horse about in order to seek another road. His irritated antagonist, however, was not thus to be baulked. He seemed determined to fix a quarrel on Major Gordon, now that the latter had expressed his resolution to visit Kate, if he had not indeed determined on it from the beginning. He, therefore, followed our hero, saying contemptuously"Coward!" Under any other circumstances, that word would have been enough. Observing, however, after going a few paces, that Aylesford still followed him, he sternly said. "Enough of this, sir. You must see that I wont quarrel with you. Permit me, therefore, to take my way, and you take yours." And, as he spoke, he checked his horse again. But the rage of Aylesford had now become ungovernable. Nothing, indeed, maddens a temper such as his so much as cool conduct like that of Major Gordon. Taking his sword by the hilt, he suddenly raised it, and striking our hero across the face, before the latter could parry the blow, said, with an oath, "Take that, sir. It's the first time that I ever saw even a rebel officer disgrace his cloth by poltroonery." Natures that are slow to anger, or that give way to it only after strenuous attempts at self-control, are always the most terrible in their wrath. The countenance of Major Gordon grew livid as he reeled from this insulting blow. It was a considerable interval before he spoke, for at first the words choked in his throat; and afterwards he could not trust himself to speak, lest he should, in the first moments of passion, utter something unworthy of himself. "Dismount," he said silently, in a low, concentrated voice. "Your blood be on your own head." Aylesford, with a mocking laugh, leaped from the saddle, threw his bridle over a convenient bough, and stepped into the middle of the smooth, shaded road. Then drawing his sword he stood on guard. Major Gordon did not keep him waiting. Disposing of his horse in a similar manner, he unsheathed his blade and placed himself in front of his antagonist. Nearly a minute elapsed before the duel commenced, the combatants measuring each other, meantime, with their eyes. Our hero saw at once, from the easy position of his opponent, that all his skill and caution would be required to disarm Aylesford; for already he had cooled sufficiently to come to the resolve not to shed his adversary's blood. On his part Aylesford was secretly admiring the fine person and practised air of our hero. But no charitable feelings found place in the bosom of the insulter. He had determined to take his opponent's life, and he had few misgivings as to success, for he was not only an expert swordsman, in a day when every gentleman thought it a necessary part of his education to have skill in fence, but he had been considered, by his teacher, the most adroit of scores of pupils. As yet, indeed, he had never met his match, except in his old master. "It will be easy work with this militia officer, and quondam attorney," he said to himself, scornfully beginning the contest. But Aylesford was not long in discovering that he had underrated his adversary's skill. He quickly saw, by the style of his opponent's fence, that it was the intention of Major Gordon to disarm him: and irritated at what he believed to be a contemptuous forbearance, in one of whom he had just been expecting to make an easy victim, he began to throw more vehemence into the combat than was altogether prudent. He soon, in consequence, laid himself open to a lunge from his antagonist; but, as we have seen, it did not suit Major Gordon's purpose to take advantage of this; and Aylesford, taught a lesson, fought for awhile with more caution. We will not weary the reader with a catalogue of terms, of whose meaning he is probably ignorant, in order to describe, in accurate detail, the progress of the duel. But if he had been a spectator, he would have held his breath in horror at the rapid flashing of the blades and the rattling |