Edgerton announced himself to be in readiness, and, at the same
time, declared his intention to withdraw at once from our hospitality
and return to his old lodging-house. He had already given instructions
to his servant for the removal of his things.
"What!" I said with a feeling of irony, which did not make itself
apparent in my speech--"you are tired of our hospitality, Edgerton?
We have not treated you well, I am afraid."
"Yes," he muttered faintly, "too well. I have every reason to be
gratified and grateful. No reason to complain."
He forced himself to say something more by way of acknowledgment;
but to this I gave little heed. We drove first to Kingsley's, and
took him up; then, to my office, where I got out, and, entering
the office, wrapped up my pistol-case carefully in a newspaper, so
that the contents might not be conjectured, and bringing it forth,
thrust it into the boot of the carriage.
"What have you got there?" demanded Kingsley. "Something for
digestion," was my reply. "We may be kept late."
"You are wise enough to be a traveller," said Kingsley; and without
further words we drove on. I fancied that when I put the case into
the vehicle, Edgerton looked somewhat suspicious. That he was
uneasy was evident enough. He could not well be otherwise. The
consciousness of guilt was enough to make him so; and then there
was but little present sympathy between himself and Kingsley.
I had already given the driver instructions. He carried us into
the loneliest spot of woods some four miles from M----, and in a
direction very far from the beaten track.
"What brings you into this quarter?" demanded Kingsley. "What
business have you here?"
"We stop here," I said as the carriage drove up. "I have some land
to choose and measure here. Shall we alight, gentlemen?"
I took the pistol-case in my hands and led the way. They followed
me. The carriage remained. We went on together several hundred
yards until I fancied we should be quite safe from interruption.
We were in a dense forest. At a little distance was a small stretch
of tolerably open pine land, which seemed to answer the usual
purposes. Here I paused and confronted them.
"Mr. Kingsley," I said without further preliminaries, "I have
taken the liberty of bringing you here, as the most honorable man
I know, in order that you should witness the adjustment of an affair
of honor between Mr. Edgerton and myself."
As I spoke I unrolled the pistol-case. Edgerton grew pale as death,
but remained silent. Kingsley was evidently astonished, but not so
much so as to forbear the obvious answer.
"How! an affair of honor? Is this inevitable--necessary, Clifford?"
"Absolutely!"
"In no way to be adjusted?"