"So!" he exclaimed. "It is that we are not good enough to drink with you, eh?"

"No," replied Chester; "we simply don't drink. That is all. We appreciate your courtesy in thinking of us, and we drank your toast in water, which is the strongest drink we ever touch."

Hal, who up to this time had remained silent in his chair, now rose to his feet.

"Look here," he said, facing the fiery Frenchman; "we are on important business and haven't time to fool with you. My friend has explained why we didn't drink wine with you. That should settle the matter."

"But it doesn't settle it," exclaimed the Frenchman, now in a rage. "You refused to drink with us because you think us not good enough."

"All right, have it that way if you will," said Chester wearily. "If you say so, then we didn't drink because you are not good enough."

"_Mon Dieu_!" cried the Frenchman, and his hand rested upon the b.u.t.t of his revolver. "You have insulted me, and for that you shall pay."

With one hand still resting upon his revolver, he stepped quickly forward, and before Chester could realize what was up, he slapped the lad sharply in the face.

This was too much for Chester. Up to this time he had remained perfectly cool, but the blow in the face, light though it was, was more than he could stand. He took a quick step forward, and as he did so his right fist flashed out, and the young Frenchman, struck squarely upon the nose, went to the floor with blood streaming from his wounded member.

There came several subdued exclamations from the others of the party, and the hands of the other French officers dropped to their revolvers.

But before any of them could draw, Hal had whipped forth his own automatics, and covered them.

"I'll blow the head off the first one who makes a move," he said sternly.

The French officers made no move to draw.

The Frenchman whom Chester had knocked down now got to his feet, considerably sobered up by the force of the lad's blow. He was suffering more from wounded dignity than anything else, and he was very angry. He approached Chester.

"For that blow," he said very quietly, "monsieur shall give me satisfaction."

"I'll repeat the dose if that's what you want," said Chester, also thoroughly aroused, and he took a step forward.

The Frenchman drew back.

"_Non! Non!_" he exclaimed. "You shall give me satisfaction with swords or pistols, as a gentleman, if, for the moment, you can be one."

"So," said Chester, "I am no gentleman, eh? I'll make you wish you had never seen me, you little--"

"Hold on! Hold on!" interrupted Hal. "We have other business to attend to. We have no time for duels."

But for the moment he had relaxed his vigilance, and the nearest officer, with two quick blows, knocked his revolvers from his hand, and the lad found himself covered.

"Now," said the young Frenchman to Chester, "will you fight or not?"

"I'll fight," replied the lad calmly.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE DUEL.

"It seems to me," said Hal quietly, "that there is enough fighting to be done at the front without fighting among ourselves. Besides, we have important business in Paris immediately."

"It won't take long to dispose of this fellow, Hal," said Chester significantly.

"Perhaps not," replied Hal, "but you know there is always the chance that you may fall. Then they would probably drag me into it, and, if I went down, what would happen to the doc.u.ment we bear?"

"That's true," said Chester. He turned to his adversary. "Is it understood," he asked, "that, if I fall, there is an end of the quarrel?"

The Frenchman bowed in a.s.sent.

"And if you kill me," he said, "my friends will not molest you."

"Well, that suits me," said Chester. "Where and when are we going to fight this thing out?"

"Immediately," was the reply; "and, with our host's permission, we shall fight right here, monsieur."

"Any place suits me," said Chester. "And the weapons?"

"The choice lies with you, _monsieur_."

"Very good," said Chester. "Revolvers at ten paces!"

"Ten paces!" exclaimed one of the Frenchmen, stepping back in surprise.

"Surely _monsieur_ is jesting!"

"Not a bit of it," replied Chester quietly. "I want to get close enough to make sure I can't miss him."

"But, _monsieur_," protested one of the Frenchmen, "it will make it that much easier for your opponent to hit you also."

"He won't hit me," said Chester. "Don't you worry about that. Revolvers at ten paces, or there will be no fight."

The French officer who had volunteered to act as the other's second bowed.

"It shall be as _monsieur_ desires," he said.

The revolvers of the others, which had covered Hal, were now lowered, and the lad was allowed to pick up his weapons. He approached Chester.

"Are you sure you can get him?" he asked.

"Dead certain," replied Chester. "Look at him now. See how he's shaking.

It's the ten paces that did that. He knows I can't possibly miss him at that distance, and he is consequently nervous for fear his first shot may go wild."

There was truth in the lad's words. Chester's antagonist was plainly nervous, and he and his second talked together in low tones. Finally the second came over to Hal.

"My friend," he said, "wishing to spare your friend's life, is willing to accept his apology."