Very slowly, and with his eyes fixed in a wide stare upon the
threatening muzzle of the weapon Barnabas held, Mr. Chichester,
crossed to the door, hesitated, turned the key, and drawing it from
the lock, stood with it balanced in his hand a moment, and then
tossed it towards Barnabas.
Now the key lay within a yard of Barnabas who, stepping forward,
made as though to reach down for it; but in that instant he glanced
up at Mr. Chichester under his brows, and in that instant also,
Mr. Chichester took a swift, backward step towards the hearth;
wherefore, because of this, and because of the look in Mr. Chichester's
eyes, Barnabas smiled, and, so smiling, kicked the key into a
far corner.
"Come, sir," said he, drawing another chair up to the table,
"be seated!" saying which, Barnabas sat down, and, keeping one
pistol levelled, laid the other within Mr. Chichester's reach.
"They are both loaded, sir," he continued; "but pray assure yourself."
But Mr. Chichester stood where he was, his eyes roving swiftly from
Barnabas to the unlatched window, from that to the door, and so back
again to where Barnabas sat, pale, smiling, and with the heavy
weapon levelled across the narrow table; and as he stood thus,
Mr. Chichester lifted one white hand to his mouth and began to pull
at his lips with twitching fingers.
"Come," repeated Barnabas, "be seated, sir."
But Mr. Chichester yet stood utterly still save for the petulant
action of those nervous, twitching fingers.
"Sir," Barnabas persisted, "sit down, I beg!"
"I'll fight you--here--and now," said Mr. Chichester, speaking in a
strange, muffled tone, "yes--I'll fight you wherever or whenever
you wish, but not--not across a table!"
"I think you will," nodded Barnabas grimly. "Pray sit down."
"No!"
"Why, then, we'll stand up for it," sighed Barnabas rising.
"Now, sir, take up your pistol."
"No!"
"Then," said Barnabas, his teeth agleam, "as God's above, I'll shoot
you where you stand--but first I'll count three!" And once more he
levelled the pistol he held.
Mr. Chichester sighed a fluttered sigh, the twitching fingers fell
from his mouth and with his burning gaze upon Barnabas, he stepped
forward and laid his hand upon the chair-back, but, in the act of
sitting down, paused.
"The candles--a little more light--the candles," he muttered, and
turning, crossed to the hearth and raised his hand to a branched
silver candlestick that stood upon the mantel. But in the moment
that his left hand closed upon this, his right had darted upon
another object that lay there, and, quick as a flash, he had spun
round and fired point-blank.
While the report yet rang on the air, Barnabas staggered, swayed, and,
uttering a gasp, sank down weakly into his chair. But, as Mr. Chichester
watched him, his eyes wide, his lips parted, and the pistol yet smoking
in his hand, Barnabas leaned forward, and steadying his elbow on the
table, slowly, very slowly raised and levelled his weapon.