“‘Go home, sir?’ he said. “‘Yes.’ “‘And leave you?’ “‘Obey me!’ “My voice must have shown that remonstrance would be useless. My old servitor uttered a sigh like the groan which had escaped from the lips of Nighthawk, and, mounting the box, turned the heads of his horses toward home. “I watched the carriage until it turned a bend in the road, and then, making a sign to Mortimer to follow me, led the way into the woods. Pursuing a path which the moonlight just enabled me to perceive, I penetrated the forest; went on for about ten minutes; and finally emerged upon a plateau, in the swampy undergrowth near which stood the ruins of an old chimney. “This chimney had served to indicate the spot to Nighthawk; and, before us, in the moonlight, was the evidence that he had found it. In the centre of the plateau was a newly dug grave--and in front of it I paused. “‘We have arrived,’ I said. “Mortimer gazed at the grave with a grim smile. “‘That is a dreary and desolate object,’ he said. “‘It will soon be inhabited,’ I returned; ‘and the issue of this combat is indifferent to me, since in either event I shall be dead.’ “‘Ah!’ he exclaimed, ‘explain that.’ “‘Then you do not understand! You think this duel will end every thing? You deceive yourself! A family history like mine does not terminate with a duel. Have you read those tragedies where everybody is killed?--where not a single one of the _dramatis personae_ escapes? Well, this is going to be a drama of that exact description. Do you wish to save that woman, yonder? To do so, you must kill _me_. I tell you that to warn you to do your best, sir!’ “Mortimer glared at me. It is hard to imagine a glance more sinister. “‘So you have arranged the whole affair?’ he said; ‘there is to be a wholesale killing.’ “‘Yes.’ “‘You are going to kill--_her_?’ “‘Yes.’ “‘Yourself, too?’ “‘Yes.’ “Mortimer’s smile became more sinister, as he raised his foil. “‘Take your position, sir,’ he said; ‘I am going to save you the latter trouble.’ “I grasped my weapon, and placed myself on guard. “In an instant he had thrown himself upon me with a fury which indicated the profound passion under his assumed coolness. His eyes blazed; his lips writhed into something like a deadly grin; I felt that I had to contend rather with a wild animal than a man. The grave yawned in the moonlight at our very feet, and Mortimer closed in, with fury, endeavoring to force me to its brink, and hurl me into it. “Ten minutes afterward the combat was over; and it was Mortimer who occupied the grave. “He had given ground an instant, to breathe; had returned to the attack more furiously than before; a tremendous blow of his weapon snapped my own, eighteen inches from the hilt; but this had probably saved my life instead of destroying it, as Mortimer, from his fierce exclamation as the blade broke, evidently expected.