"If you will pardon me, Colonel," said Van Ness, "while you are reading it, I will enjoy a cigar."

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Certainly," said Burr, "you will find a box in the

cabinet."

Van Ness smoked and Burr read. Van Ness eyed attentively the unimpassioned and unmoved face. In the presence of others, that face never expressed any indication of the thoughts, the motives, or the feelings that actuated the heart or influenced the brain of their possessor. He read the document carefully from the beginning to the close. Then he laid it on the library table and looked at Van Ness.

"I know," said Van Ness, where the very best quality of cowhides can be purchased."

"No doubt," replied Burr, "but cowhides are not used by gentlemen in affairs of honor."

"No," rejoined Van Ness, "but a cowhide may be used by a gentleman who is a gentleman, in dealing with one who is supposed to be a gentleman, but who is not."

"I understand you," said Burr. "I cannot follow your suggestion, but the reading of that document forces me to send to General Hamilton the letter that I was on the point of destroying."

"I am glad of that," said Van Ness.

"I may, or may not be in the future," remarked Colonel Burr as he arose from his seat.

"Here is a copy of my letter to the General," he said, passing it to Van Ness. "Please keep the correspondence which may or may not be voluminous."

While Van Ness was reading the letter Burr lighted a cigar, walked to the library table and took up the document which Van Ness had given him to read.

"That will do for a beginning," said Van Ness as he folded up the copy of the letter and put it in his pocket, "but what are you going to do about that dying con

1

fession?" he asked, pointing to the paper which Burr held in his hand.

"I am thinking," replied Burr.

"If I were in your position," said Van Ness, "if the General did not send me a complete explanation and ample apology for those lines in Cooper's letter, I would. publish that deposition and send it broadcast through the country. That double-faced friend has had two strings to his bow too long. One of them should be snapped, and I am the man who would do it."

"I have decided," said Burr.

He took a sheet of paper, and placing the deposition inside, he folded it up securely. Then he sealed it in the middle and on both ends with his private seal. Taking up his quill he wrote in a bold hand—“ The Property of Aaron Burr. Not to be opened and the contents made public until fifty years have elapsed after my death."

"That is final," said Burr as he passed the document to Van Ness who quickly read what was written upon it.

"As you will," said Van Ness, "it is your right to decide.

Keep the document," said Burr, "until this affair is over at least," and Van Ness placed it in his pocket.

Then, smoking their cigars, the two gentlemen left the mansion and passed slowly through its beautiful grounds until they reached the road. Then they locked arms and walked down town to their respective offices.

CHAPTER VII

I

THE CHALLENGE

T was not until the twentieth of June that a reply was received by Colonel Burr from General Hamilton. It had been delivered at Colonel Burr's law office, but he had been too busy with his clients to do more than open it and ascertain that it was an answer to his communication of the eighteenth.

He sent a messenger to Judge Van Ness's office requesting him to call on him that evening at Richmond Hill. Eight o'clock found the two gentlemen seated once more in Burr's library. The General's reply was long. Burr read it over to himself, and then read it aloud to Van Ness. He was an eager and attentive listener.

Special pleading," said Van Ness, with a low chuckle. "He apparently is not willing to file a direct answer, or enter a demurrer, but rather insinuates that he is disposed to deny the jurisdiction of the court. But the point of his letter, like the sting of a scorpion, is in the end of it. Did you notice, Colonel Burr, that he virtually says that if you are not satisfied with this rambling, and, to me, very unsatisfactory communication, that he is prepared to abide the consequences. I never imagined he was capable of rising to quite so high a level as that, and even now I think it is more braggadocio on paper than anything else. Do you think he will fight, Colonel?”

"If I challenge him, he will have to," replied Burr. "Well," said Van Ness, savagely, "if you challenge

him and he finds some sneaking way of avoiding a meeting, I will cowhide him, if you don't."

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Calm yourself, Van Ness,” said Burr, courteously. “I shall count upon your good offices as my second, but I do not think you will be called upon to take the place of the principal, although I know of no one to whom I would sooner confide the care of my honor were I unable to defend it myself."

The two men clasped hands; then Burr continued: "I will think the General's letter over this evening, and will answer it to-morrow. Will you kindly see that it is delivered, Van Ness?"

"Certainly," replied the latter, "there is no service that you can ask of me, Colonel, that I will not gladly render, even to taking your place as principal in this affair."

As he said this both men smiled, but there was a great difference in those smiles. One was savage in its nature, while the other had a grave tinge of sadness. When Burr was alone, he sat down and read Hamilton's letter through again. His reply was short but to the point.

On the twenty-second of June, General Hamilton called upon his friend, Nathaniel Pendleton, who, like Van Ness, was a judge. The interview took place in Judge Pendleton's private office. General Hamilton was evidently much excited and disturbed by something that had taken place, and his friend looked inquiringly at him as he noticed these marks of unusual excitement.

"What has happened, General?" he inquired, after Hamilton had sat for five minutes without opening the expected conversation. The General took several papers from his pocket, neatly folded, and marked “1,"

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་་

2,"

Read those, if you please, Judge," said he, “in the order in which they are numbered."

While Pendleton was reading, Hamilton arose from his chair and, walking to a window at the farther end of the office, looked out upon the busy scene, for the Judge's office was upon a much frequented thoroughfare.

"Well, General," said Pendleton, as he finished reading Burr's second letter, “what is to be the up-shot of this?"

Hamilton walked slowly towards the speaker and resumed his chair.

"When Mr. Van Ness brought Colonel Burr's last letter, I told him that I thought Burr's first letter was rude and offensive, and that it was not possible for me to give it any answer other than that Mr. Burr must take such steps as he might think proper."

"What did Van Ness say to that?" inquired Pendleton.

"Well,” replied the General, "he didn't seem quite satisfied to take my answer back to Colonel Burr. He requested me to take time to deliberate and then return an answer when I might possibly entertain a different opinion, and said that he would call on me to receive it." General Hamilton continued, "I told Mr. Van Ness that I did not perceive it possible for me to give any other answer than that I mentioned, unless Mr. Burr would take back his letter and write me one which would admit of a different reply. Keep those letters, Judge, and here is another which I have written and which I authorize you to deliver to Mr. Van Ness in case he calls upon you. I am going to my country house this afternoon, and may not be back to the city for several days. I know I can count upon your best and most friendly services in this matter."

Certainly," replied Judge Pendleton, “I regret the occurrence, but the situation must be faced with dignity and with a due regard for your well-established reputation."