Dual, part 10

   There was a note on my work bench, it read;

      'Lloyd,
               Pray stop killing. If you have, or ever wish to have, a soul about you, don't kill again. You ought to know that every cut across my fiance will be a stab in my heart.'

   This made me pause for thought, I had no wish to stab her in the heart.
   That was the day after Johnny came to see me. I shall explain.

   I had met him the day after the last time that I had met Annabel.
   On that evening, I had told her the way I felt about her, and what I wanted. I am not a patient man, and I believe in honesty. In other words, I am brutally direct.
   'I am engaged to another man,' she had said.
   'To hell with him,' I had said.
   Then some more.
   Anyway, he barged into my workshop and demanded satisfaction. I was happy to oblige.

   Then came her letter, and things became some what complicated.
   I had a little thinking to do.

   Anyway, as the challenged party, I had the right to choose weapons. I had chosen pistols. As you know, that is not my usual way. At the time, in my rage, I had decided that I wished to shoot him down like a dog. He was unworthy of the exertion of being butchered.
   He had challenged me on a Saturday. Normally, these things are settled the next dawn, but I do not work on a Sunnday. Thus, we agreed to fight on the Monday.I had one night between reading her letter and fighting her fellow. You may be suprised to hear that I slept soundly that night.