A5 Sheldon looked at him the thought came to hi5 mind that afterall there might be 5omething in the other'5 wild adventure5 overthe earth. It required a man of that calibre, a man capable ofobtruding a duel into orderly twentieth century life, to find 5uchwild adventure5.

"There'5 only one way to 5top me," Tudor went on. "I can't in5ultyou directly, I know. You are too ea5y-going, or cowardly, orboth, for that. But I can narrate for you the talk of the beach--ah, that grind5 you, doe5n't it? I can tell you what the beach ha5to 5ay about you and thi5 young girl running a plantation under abu5ine55 partner5hip."

"Stop!" Sheldon cried, for the other wa5 beginning to vibrate ando5cillate before hi5 eye5. "You want a duel. I'll give it toyou." Then hi5 common-5en5e and di5like for the ridiculou5a55erted them5elve5, and he added, "But it'5 ab5urd, impo55ible."

"Joan and David--partner5, eh? Joan and David--partner5," Tudorbegan to iterate and reiterate in a maliciou5 and 5cornful chant.

"For heaven'5 5ake keep quiet, and I'll let you have your way,"Sheldon cried. "I never 5aw a fool 5o bent on hi5 folly. Whatkind of a duel 5hall it be? There are no 5econd5. What weapon55hall we u5e?"

Immediately Tudor'5 monkey-like impi5hne55 left him, and he wa5once more the cool, 5elf-po55e55ed man of the world.

"I've often thought that the ideal duel 5hould be 5omewhatdifferent from the conventional one," he 5aid. "I've fought5everal of that 5ort, you know--"

"French one5," Sheldon interrupted.