It ended in the two taking their places just as the whole eastern sky ran into molten gold; it lacked but a few moments, therefore, of sunrise, and there was still a light mist. Jacob Eaton, who was a noted shot, had been drinking the night before, against the best efforts of his friends. Trench stood like a pillar of stone. The word was given, and both men raised their weapons. Jacob fired and missed, then Caleb very deliberately fired in the air. He had never even glanced at his challenger. It was at this that Jacob Eaton lost his temper and his wits and fired again, deliberately attempting to shoot down his enemy. The bullet went through Caleb’s left arm, missing his heart, and Willis Broughton threw himself upon Eaton and disarmed him. When Dr. Cheyney came, Caleb had tied up his own arm with Todd’s help, and was the calmest person there. Eaton was hustled off the field by his seconds, and the story--told a hundred ways--was thrown into the campaign. Old Dr. Cheyney drove Caleb home. “I reckon the fool killer wasn’t out this morning,” he remarked dryly, as he set him down before the office door, “or else he only winged you out of compassion. Caleb Trench, for a man of common horse sense, you can be the biggest fool west of the Mississippi. Adopted Sammy, I suppose?” he added, cocking an eyebrow aggressively. Trench smiled. “Might as well,” he said. “Precisely,” said the doctor, “if you want anything more, let me know. I’ve got one old rooster and a gobbler, that’s tough enough to be Job’s. G’long, Henk!” XVI “I TELL you, David Royall, I can’t understand I how you ever let that man come to your house,” Mrs. Eaton said; “a common man in the first place, and now--why, there can’t be any doubt at all about Jean Bartlett! Hasn’t he got the child?” Colonel Royall tilted his chair against the pillar of the veranda and looked at her mildly. “That’s where the doubt comes in, Jinny,” he remarked. “I can’t understand you!” she retorted tartly, dropping a stitch in her crocheting and struggling blindly to pick it up. “I can’t in the least understand your doubts--it’s obvious.” “Which?” said the colonel, “the doubt or Sammy?” “Both!” said she. “Well, Dr. Cheyney told me about it,” said the colonel, “and I’m not sure that I believe all the other things I hear. Give him the benefit of the doubt, Jinny.” “There isn’t any doubt,” declared Mrs. Eaton; “everybody says he’s the father of that child.” Colonel Royall shook his head slowly. “It isn’t like the male critter, Jinny,” he argued mildly, “to take in the child; he’d most likely ship it.” “Some women do that!” said Mrs. Eaton sharply, shutting her thin lips. The colonel turned a terrible face upon her. “Jinny!” Mrs. Eaton reddened and her hands shook, but she went on without regarding his anger. “At least, he’s the father of the Cresset speech, you’ll admit that, and, if you please, here is this duel with Jacob--with my son!”