“One--two--three--fire!” Frank Houston dropped the handkerchief, Ralph fired into the air, and Margaret, springing forward, struck up the pistol of her father, so that it was discharged harmlessly into the upper branches of an old tree. All this transpired in a single instant of time, so suddenly and unexpectedly, that until it was over no one knew what had happened. Then followed a scene of confusion difficult or impossible to describe. Major Helmstedt was the first to speak. Shaking Margaret’s hand from his arm, he demanded, in a voice of concentrated rage: “Miss Helmstedt, what is the meaning of this? How durst you come hither?” Margaret, dropping upon her knees between the combatants and lifting up both arms, exclaimed: “Oh, father! father! Oh, Ralph! Ralph! bury your bullets in this broken heart if you will, but do not point your weapons against each other!” “Margaret, my beloved!” began Ralph Houston, springing to raise her, but before he could effect his purpose, Major Helmstedt had caught up his daughter, and with extended hands, exclaimed: “Off, sir! How durst you? Touch her not! Address her not at your peril! Dr. Hartley, since you attended this self-willed girl hither, pray do me the favor to lead her from the scene. Gentlemen, seconds, I look to you to restore order, that the business of our meeting may proceed.” “Father, father!” cried Margaret, clasping his knees in an agony of prayer. “Degenerate child, release me and begone! Dr. Hartley, will you relieve me of this girl?” “Major Helmstedt, your daughter and myself came hither in the hope of mediating between yourself and your antagonist.” “Mediating! Sir, there is no such thing as mediation in a quarrel like this! Since you brought my daughter hither, will you take her off, sir, I ask you?” thundered Major Helmstedt, striving to unrivet the clinging arms of his child. “Father, father! Hear me, hear me!” she cried. “Peace, girl, I command you. Fool that you are, not to see that this is a mortal question, that can only be resolved in a death meeting between us. Girl, girl, girl! are you a Helmstedt? Do you know that the family of this man have made dishonoring charges upon you? Charges that, by the Heaven above, can be washed out only in life’s blood? Take her away, Hartley.” “Father, father! Oh, God! the charges! the charges that they have made! they are true! they are true!” cried Margaret, clinging to his arms, while she hid her face upon his bosom. Had a bombshell exploded in their midst, it could not have produced a severer or more painful shock. Ralph Houston, after the first agonized start and shudder, drew nearer to her, and paused, pale as death, to listen further, if, perchance, he had heard aright. All the others, after their first surprise, stood as if struck statue still. Major Helmstedt remained nailed to the ground, a form of iron. Deep and unearthly was the sound of his voice, as, lifting the head of his daughter from his breast, he said: