THE POINT OF HONOUR: A STORY OF THE PAST.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3357, 11 January 1879, Page 3

THE POINT OF HONOUR: A STORY OF THE PAST.

(Concluded.) "It is indeed grave, gentlemen," sententiously remarked the colonel. ; " the helmets worn by the officers of His Majesty's Life Guards are neither silver nor brass, but white metal lacquered with silver-gilt; but this information will not, I presume, alter the position of affairs. Do you still wish to fight the question out ?" " Certainly, sir ! " exclaimed the two officers.

v " Ycv y. wcll >" replied the colonel, grively ; tar be it from me to interpose any obstacle to your meeting, gentlemen ; but this duel must be a serious one, as befits so important a question as the Life Guards' helmets, and not an affair resulting in a mere scratch, as I am given to understand is generally the case in these mess quarrels. Remember that you are British officers, and not Spanish bravoes, and that the honour of a British officer can only be vindicated by the death of his opponent. Go, gentlemen, and fight your duel ; and 1 will meet the survivor on his return." The two young men saluted the colonel and retired. A few minutes afterwards they and their seconds were seen hurrying off to the place of meeting— a spot which is known in the garrison to this day as "Duel Avenue." Three hours later, Colonel A went down into the parade-ground to inspect the regiment, and lie was surprised to see both Lord Veiluni and Ensign Warbottle amongst the officers who approached him to give their morning salute. The latter had his arm in a sling ; and to the stern inquiry of Colonel A as to whether the duel had yet taken place, he replied, with a forced smile lighting up his face : —

" Yes, colonel, his lordship lias given me a lasty scratch in the arm."

"A scratch in the arm !" exclaimed the colonel contemptuously ; "and do you call that fighting ? And for so important i question as the helmets of His Majesty's Life Guards ! Bah !it is nothing ! This matter must be fought over again, under pain of instant dismissal from the service if my order be disobeyed !" "But" began Lord Vellum, attempting to express his satisfaction at the reparation his wounded honour had received.

"But me no but*, gentlemen !" exclaimed the colonel, angrily; "I have the Prince's instructions on this point, and it is for you to vindicate your own honour in a proper manner, or retire disgraced from His Majesty's service."

This alternative was one not to be thought of ; and it need scarcely be said that, the young fire-eaters ohose rather to fight again than be cashiered.

The duel was fought again, and this time Lord Vellum was shot through the body— a wound which laid him on a sick bed for two months.

During this long period many quarrels had taken place at the mess table, some of which had been settled by the colonel acting as '• arbitrator ;" and others stood over for his permission to fight— a permission which he refused to grant until the result of Lord Vellum's illness should become known. In the meantime Colonel A had communicated with the Duke of Wellington, from whom he received explicit instructions to carry 1 he matter out to the bitter end, as the only means of putting a stop to a matter which was fast becoming a world-wide scandal. Lord Vellum was carefully attended to during his illness by his " friend and enemy" Ensign Warbottle, to whose efforts he not only owedhiß life, but was enabled at the end of the two months to hvke a short walk every morning. His recovery then proceeded rapidly, and he soon became enabled to walk without any support whatever. The two friends were walking together one morning, when they suddenly found themselves face to face with Colonel A . " Ah. gent lemon, good-morning '."exclaimed the latter ; "I am delighted to ace hits lordship out again, especially as it will now enable jou to finish your affaire il'/tonncicr in a more satisfactory manner." The young officers, scarcely believing their ears, were for a time struck dumb with astonishment, and they gazed at each other and at the colonel with looks of bewilderment and despair, " You see, gentlemen," said the colonel gravely, "that this qviestion of the Life Guards' helmets is of such importance that I deemed it advisable, since his lordship's illness, to write to the Duke of Wellington on the subject ; and I have here his grace's orders that the duel should be renewed again and again until the life of one of the combatants has been forfeited." As lie spoke Colonel A drew from the breast- pocket of his coatee a large lettei*, bearing on its envelope the words "On His Majesty's Service" in largo -black letters, and in one corner the notice in red ink, " Very Urgent!' "But," said the young ensign, " his lordship has not recovered yet ; besides " — " When one can walk," interrupted the colonel, " one can also fire off a pistol ; and it is not conducive to the interests and dignity of the service that so important a question as the equipment of His Majesty's bodyguard should any longer bo left undecided." The two young officers, who had cemented their friendship anew during the period of' illness, here took each other's hands and gazed long and eilontly into each other's face. Colonel A turned "away to hide his emotion ; for being really possessed of a kindly disposition, he began to regret the stern and unbending part he hod been called upon to perform. Brushing the signs of his weakness away from his eyes, lie turned once more towards the young officers and said —

"Gentlemen, I have orders from England to supersede you in the regiment to which we a\\ have the honour to belong ; I am only to waive the execution of, these orders on condition that the duel is renewed as already stated. Your honour jb absolutely in your own hands, and you mußt chooee your own

course. I leave you to decide, get'tlemen, what the course shall be, and bid you Iv" 11 ' the present adieu." So saying, the colonel left the two frienu s to decide upon their own fate. They ultimately decided to consult with their brother-officers on the subject, and to bo guided by the general opinion. This opinion turned out to be in favour of another fight ; and they once more proceeded to the place of meeting, each mentally resolving not to injure the other, but each exchanging portraits and letters for their friends. The fatal weapons were discharged, and Ensign Warbottle fell to tho earth with a shot buried in Ins heart. The grief of Lord Vellum knew no bounds, for he had been led to believe that the balls had been drawn from the pistols. He threw himself on the inanimate body of his tneud, and could with great difficulty be removed therefrom. At length he was conducted to the house of a married officer • and from there he incited a letter to Colonel A , tendering his resignation, and reproaching the latter with the death of his tnend.

The same afternoon, Colonel A assembled the other officers, and addressing himself especially to those whose applications to fight were in suspension, declared himself ready to grant one more permission on the same conditions as the other — namely, that "for honour's sake" the combatants should fight to the death. In the pause which ensued, one oflicer after another saluted the colonel respectfully, and then retired as silently as they came, leaving him alone in the mess-room, and master of the situation. It was a rude lesson which these officers had received, but it fully accomplished its purpose, and from that day to this duelling lias been almost unknown in the British army.— Chambers' Journal.