"How does this happen?"
But Vernon was as much confounded by this unexpected result of the duel
as his principal. He had only time to protest that he had prepared the
pistols as agreed upon, when Major Brunn arrived at the spot.
On examining the wounded man, it was found that the ball had struck the
fleshy part of the arm. The injury was very trifling. Maxwell was much
astonished at receiving a ball from his opponent's pistol,--a
circumstance which was owing entirely to Hatchie's precaution on the
previous night. He had overheard the plan by which Maxwell was to fire a
ball at Henry, with no danger of receiving one in return. Vernon had
loaded the pair without ball, and the single pistol with two balls.
Henry was to select from the pair; the third was to be concealed upon
the person of Maxwell, who was to use it instead of the blank. Major
Brunn, supposing Vernon to be a man of honor, had not insisted upon
examining the charge in presence of both seconds, and thus everything
had worked to the satisfaction of the confederates up to the time of the
firing.
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