Austin waved them away with a deprecatory gesture and
a smile.
"Really, old man, I can't enter into the spirit of it, like that. You're
splendid. But if I took a hand, it would be tomfoolery."
"Oh, do, do," cried Viviette. "Let us go through with it and see just
how the duel was fought. It will be thrilling. You'll have to fall dead
like Lord Estcombe, and I'll burst into the room and tear my hair over
your poor corpse. Do, Austin, for my sake."
He yielded. Any foolishness for her sake. He took a pistol.
"You'll have to be Major Hawkins, Katherine," he said lightly, as if
inviting her to condescend to some child's game.
But Katherine put her hands before her face and shrank back. "No, no,
no. I couldn't. I don't like it."
"Then I'll be Major Hawkins," said Viviette.
"You will?" Dick laughed harshly. "Then be it so."
"I know just what they did."
She placed the men back to back, so that Austin faced the further end of
the room and Dick the open French window. They were to take three paces,
count one, two, three, and, at the end of the third pace, they were to
turn and fire.
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