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Show 148 UOEBDCK . l f 't' 0 ":tn uutil he clignppearcd in a wood. t 'l tel' t le ttrrl IV I• ' • • , . ,. \Yhy, it~· Ilngh Fitzhu~h," said Baxter, l~Olntmg , ''"'S a1 , at a nutn w110 "'" ' 1)l"o._a ehin oo- thern, and "ho had b een f\ee n fi 1. s t by l)··" thner · Son1e d.nty had brought C np t ~u· n J1''1t ,,,,1, 1t10o ·h nc'a r ellou<;::r. h to the spot to hear the SOU11C:1l. 0 1. t} IC p1· ' tol •, and thinkinror it 'v.a s son1c. ab.r ru or 1. rrcg n1 :1 1·1' t·y of I)icl",. .cts·' he hastcuccl1n the directi.ot.t of tho 'ound to le:lrn the cnnsc. As he came fot- "~anl, Dull itt said-" Cn.ptnin Baxter, .I ~nl deeply nlOrtificd flt the conduct of Iny first pnn c~rya~. But, o f. coursc , I 1/..1 kC hi I)1:·1 ce now. · vVit h . that VI.e w you ·will excuse 1ne, I an1 sure, for rcsunung ent1re my orio·i.na.l rcb-tion as his second. I trust, sir," he contin~ ed, addressing Captain Fitzhu~h, " although. I have not the honor of your n.cqua1ntance, you will oblige u~ by performing for Captain Baxter and m.y~ Helf the part 'vhid1 I had untlcrlakcn to pcrfonn for hi1n and Captain Palmer. It is very irregular, I admit, but necessity n1ny excuse it. Uaptain Baxter, does this 1neet your approbation~" "What docs all this meau ?" inquired Fitzhugh. "I'll tell you," responded Baxter; "this gentleman -1\Ir. Bullitt, Captain Fitzhugh-desires to exchan~e shots ,vith n1e and I have no objection. You w1ll Htand by and see fhir play." "I'll do no such thing. r.rhis fo1ly must stop here." " Of COl},rse," saiu Bullitt, ' 4 ~uch an affair mu_st con1e to an uniitncly_end 'vhcn a third party steps 111 to interfere 'vith it. But I protc:t " - - "Never n1ind your protest," j n terrnpted 13ax1 er, "let's go to breaki:t t." " Now," said Fitzhugh, nftcr he had, by j.nqturmg of Dn.xtcr, lcnr.n ed ~o1ne pnrtien1ars of the a ff'm . r, ,, l e· t us ao-rec to say nothinl)" of Pahner's conduct. It b 0 ROEBUCK. 14.9 would injure hiln ana do no goocl. lie is nc·w to stwh things.'' "0, l1c ha~ c:trried the n1:ttter to can1p in his h eel~," replied Baxter, " but I shaH say nothin g· about i t." "I a1n not sure 'vhat I shall do about this ~ffitir," said Bullitt, testily ; "the 'vhole business has been so irregular that I don't kno'v 'vhether I shall allo,v any gentleman to allude to it in 1ny presence 'vithout o-ivin< Y me satisfaction. I n1ust look up t he authorities before I commit myself." The three 'n1lkecl together to,vards the camp, and after going some distance, Daxtcr ox:clai1ned-" the surgeon! we have forg·otton the doctor." lie had sat iu the clnm1) of trees dnrin o- tho 1woccedin o-s. Tnrn- v ~ ing back, they srnv hirn nutrehing along behind thcn1 :mel looking Yery surly. They 'vaited for him, ancl as l1c approached, they heard hirn g rowling ancl cursing. "Ilnmbng," he grunte<1, " hun1bng-no neecl of a surgeon for this pn.rty "-v1i Lh an nppendix of oaths. They spoke to hin1 nnd endeavored to apologi;r,e for leaving him, but he gn.ve n either heed nor reply. lie 1narched past, muttering the s:nne contemptuous oaths. Palmer diJ not halt until he found hitnself five or six miles from the camp. 'rhen he sat down upon a log and held a council in his own boso1n. lie reileete< l that the failure of his matritnonial project hacl cnt the principal tie ,vhich bound hitn to the Southern cause, nnd no'v if he returned to the anny, he thought .h e must encoun1 r di s,o-,T ncc on account of this 1norn-mg ·s procee<1i:Jg s. IIi."' commit'!Jion and his character were gone. 1 Ie began to r ecall the. obligation~ of birth aud to speculate .upon the chances of ilnproving his condition by transferring hizn elf to the North. Upon this- theme he sat In using a long time. • • |