CHAPTER XV
HE IS ASTONISHED
A faint moon, late rising, lighted them on their way as they left the borders of the oasis and made in the direction of the Eirene. As they progressed, it rose and gained in power. By the time they had arrived at the agreed place of meeting with Chambret and Mouchon, it was flooding the desert with a clear, cold radiance that served for the purpose at hand as well as would have served the light of day—better, indeed, since now there was no suffocating heat, but rather such tingling cold as rouses a man to activity.
Such preparations as they made were simple; Chambret and Monsieur le Prince removed their coats. O'Rourke tested the foils, and allowed Mouchon the choice. A level place was discovered, some twenty yards or so from the line of travel between the oasis and the yacht, and screened by dunes from observation; the sand was not so soft as to clog seriously the feet of the combatants.
They took their places—Chambret, cold, pale, and silent; Monsieur le Prince, blustering and confident. O'Rourke stepped aside.
"Are ye ready, messieurs? Proceed!" he said.
The prince brought his heels together and the hilt of his rapier to his chin in a superb salute. "Au revoir, Monsieur Chambret," he said mockingly. "I shall find you in hell, when my time comes."
"Au revoir," responded Chambret, saluting with an
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