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Chapter 20

           Thecrackingofthepistols,whichtheyexpectedeverymomenttohear,wouldhavebeenarelief.Itwasalmostadisappointmentwhen,instead,theyheardthevoiceofthemajor—whowasamongthefewwhohadstayedinside—raisedinaloudauthoritativetone.

           "Hold!"commandedhe,intheaccentofoneaccustomedtobeobeyed,atthesametimewhiskinghissabreoutofitsscabbard,andinterposingitslongbladebetweenthedisputants.

           "Holdyourfire—Icommandyouboth.Dropyourmuzzles;orbytheAlmightyI’lltakethearmoffthefirstofyouthattouchestrigger!Hold,Isay!"

           "Why?"shoutedCalhoun,purplewithangrypassion."Why,MajorRingwood?Afteraninsultlikethat,andfromalowfellow—"

           "Youwerethefirsttoofferit,CaptainCalhoun."

           "DamnmeifIcare!Ishallbethelasttoletitpassunpunished.Standoutoftheway,major.Thequarrelisnotyours—youhavenorighttointerfere!"

           "Indeed!Ha!ha!Sloman!Hancock!Crossman!hearthat?Ihavenorighttointerfere!Harkye,MrCassiusCalhoun,ex-captainofvolunteers!Knowyouwhereyouare,sir?Don’tfancyyourselfinthestateofMississippi—amongyourslave-whippingchivalry.This,sir,isamilitarypost—undermilitarylaw—myhumbleselfitspresentadministrator.Ithereforecommandyoutoreturnyoursix-shootertotheholsterfromwhichyouhavetakenit.Thisinstanttoo,oryoushallgototheguard-house,likethehumblestsoldierinthecantonment!"

           "Indeed!"sneeringlyrepliedtheMississippian.

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