Ole Devil at San Jacinto (Old Devil Hardin Western Book 4) by J.T. Edson Page B

bothering to consult with his principal. ‘If
this —gentleman—is in agreement—’
    ‘ I am,’ confirmed Tommy, who spoke
English well enough to have followed the conversation and knew what
was expected of him.
    ‘ Then, gentlemen,’ Pierre-Quint went
on, making no attempt to conceal his satisfaction. ‘If you will
accompany us a short way along the street, we can make the
necessary arrangements.’
    Watching the four men walk past
him, Ole Devil looked at Dumoulin and almost felt sorry for him.
His face had lost most of its color and he seemed to be on the
point of calling to his seconds. Then, noticing that he was being
observed by the Texian, he stiffened and set his teeth. Swinging on
his heel, he began to stare with great intensity at the window of
the general store —from which all the merchandise had been removed—across the
street.
    Deciding that there was nothing
to be gained by speaking to Du moulin, Ole Devil did not offer to do
so . Instead, he listened
to the seconds. They had not bothered to move away and,
particularly as Hallistead—whose voice had been trained to be
audible at long distance—was doing most of the talking, he could
hear what was being said.
    By the time the arrangements were concluded,
the Texian realized there were a number of irregularities being
permitted in the conducting of the duel. If it should end in a
fatality, these would cause serious repercussions for all concerned
and especially for the surviving principal.

Chapter Five – There Must Be Another Shot
    ‘ In addition to being
gentlemen of honor, we are also holding commissions as officers and
we are on active service in time of war,’ announced Mangrove
Hallistead, acting as spokesman for Ole Devil Hardin’s faction, as
he looked from Tommy Okasi to Lieutenants Marcel Pierre-Quint and
Gerard Jaloux. ‘So I assume we are all in agreement that our military duties must
take precedence over our private affairs?’
    ‘ Well —yes—that is correct,’ Pierre-Quint conceded somewhat
dubiously, after having traded looks with Jaloux and noticing that
the little Oriental had nodded concurrence. In his capacity as
Alphonse Jules Dumoulin’s senior second, he continued, ‘But an
affair of honor is an obligation which cannot be
overlooked.’
    ‘ Naturally. And nobody
wishes it to be,’ the entertainer admitted majestically. ‘However
while circumstances, the nature of which we are all cognizant with,
do not permit us to adhere rigidly to the “Clonmel
Code”, xvi it is imperative that we employ its
Twentieth Commandment, to wit, “Seconds are bound to attempt a
reconciliation before any meeting takes place”.’ For all his
insistence, he refrained from completing the ruling with the words,
‘or after a sufficient firing or hits as specified’, but concluded,
‘Don’t you agree, gentlemen?’
    ‘ We agree,’, Pierre-Quint
said reluctantly, once again glancing at his companion. They were
both so impressed by Hallistead’s assured demeanor and knowledge
that neither wished to admit that he was not equally conversant
with the various ‘Commandments’ of the Clonmel Code. ‘However, in
our case this would be a waste of time. We know our principal
is adamant and will refuse any offer of reconciliation until his
honor has been satisfied.’
    ‘ Very
well ,’
the entertainer acceded, although a strict adherence to the Clonmel
Code would have required that an attempt was at least made. ‘Our
principal has stated that his choice of weapons is pistols. Is this
satisfactory?’
    ‘ It is,’ Pierre-Quint affirmed, laying
his hand on the butt of the firearm in his belt. ‘We anticipated
the need and have brought a pair with us. They can be used, unless
your principal has any objections.’
    ‘ He has none,’ Hallistead
declared, duplicating Ole Devil’s summation that the weapons in
question were a matched brace of dueling pistols. ‘And now to the
venue. There is an area a short distance beyond the livery