title: Pistols at Dawn: A History of Duelling
author:  Richard Hopton 
description: Richard Hopton was a barrister before becoming a full-time writer; he is the author of The Battle of Maida 1806 (Leo Cooper). He lives in Fulham.
zlib_text: * * *
  
  
  # TWO DUELS
  
  
  ### C.J. Cutcliffe Hyne
  
  
  This page copyright © 2001 Blackmask Online.
  
  
  
  
  
  http://www.blackmask.com  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "NAME OF MAHOMET!" swore Sergeant Colorado, "but I thought you had sent Arcole
  over the Boundary Line. Your fingers can grip
  
  
  like a crab's claw, my Major."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "It isn't the first time I've squeezed the wind out of a man," said Colt.
  "It's an old redskin trick. If you keep the little
  
  
  finger of each hand pressing tightly on the patient's carotids you can tell
  the exact moment when those cease to throb, and
  
  
  if you let them go then, five times out of six he comes round again little the
  worse. There, look at him, he's beginning to
  
  
  wriggle already. Mr Arcole will get up and walk away in ten minutes from now,
  and in an hour's time will be plotting another
  
  
  burglary."
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  "Well," said the bottle-nosed sous-officier, "it's your own affair, of course,
  Major, but, to my thinking, you would have
  
  
  been better advised either