“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 document 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 assent.

“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.