Then Sudie spoke. She felt she must say something, utter some protest of her womanhood against that wicked, wicked business: "Mr. Nettles, do you not think it wrong to fight a duel?" "Yes, Miss Sue," said he gravely, "it is a very wicked thing." She looked for some equivocation, some excuse or palliation of the wrong, which she would have to controvert--poor little logician of love!--and show him how bad it was; and then he would not do it. She hardly knew what to say to that speech. "I don't think I could love any one that fights duels," was the next effort, still, poor child! offering her coin, her woman's affections, in that cruel, heedless market of men. He said nothing: he felt it was right she should say that, and that he should bear it in silence. At the door he stopped to part with her for ever. She could not bear it. She was deathly white, the touch of rouge starting out like a blood-spot. "Cannot you help it?" she asked. "No, Miss Sue," he said simply, "I can't." She said nothing: just put up her lips and kissed him, and fled up stairs swiftly and softly, poor weeping, breaking little heart, crushed under the iron wheels of that cruel code! "Come in, Mr. Nettles," said the dowager: "there is some one waiting here to see you." He entered and found Mr. Winnett, a short, stout, dark-eyed gentleman, who shook hands with him laughingly as he said, "We have heard of this business, Mr. Nettles, and mean to stop it: it involves Mrs. Brown's name, you see. But she will send you with the officer in her carriage to avoid any exposure." "Has Captain Mason been arrested?" asked Bob. "No, but--" He could say no more. Bob laid a hand on the broad sill of the open window, and crashed down among the running roses. "Stop him!" cried Mr. Winnett. "Here, my little feller!" said Policeman X----. Bob was not short-stop for nothing. The man's heels went up as Bob leaped into the buggy and drove off, the policeman following. "The man's a fool," said Aunt Fanny. "You mean Nettles?" "The man who tries to beat my trotter," said she. "Well, we have played and lost." Yes, lost; for that artful gamester, Mason, after his arrest had taken Levison aside and put it to that bold operator that his aunt's object was to break up the duel, and that she would pay any claim to do it, but if he was detained by the writs of Levi and Walker the opportunity was lost. He agreed to give Levison a pre-dated note for two hundred and fifty dollars for one hundred and twenty-five dollars cash if he (Levison) would release him from the present arrest. We know the result. Instead of stopping her nephew, Aunt Fanny had lent him wings to fly. While the lawyer explained this the bell rang and a card--Deane Lee, to see Captain Nettles--was brought in. "Who is Deane Lee?" she asked. "How fortunate!" said the lawyer. "It is Mr. Nettles's second." "We can appeal to his feelings," said the dowager.