On a cold English morning, upon the flat open ground near the river, a duel with pistols between the politician Max Bradbury and Sheldon Hobbes' best friend and confident Mr. Bell was arranged. Bradbury had recently killed Bell's dear friend in the same manner. Hobbes' investigation couldn't prove it, but he believed Bell's friend, a young officer who was in love with Bradbury's wife, was framed and maneuvered into the duel days earlier. Hobbes foolishly agreed to be Bell's Second when loyalty to his friend outweighed his reason. With Bell's sudden incapacity just before his duel, Hobbes took his place. Now he was in the line of fire. Bradbury grinned with anticipation knowing that with one shot, he would end Sheldon's investigation and finally get away with murder.