text: Most people have at least one talent that they really excel at. Some special people have never met anyone who could outclass them at their talent. Fortunately for Arnold York, he was one of them. His special talent was duelling with pistols. As a member of high society, the opportunity to duel his rival noblemen presented itself rather frequently. It was customary in this place and time for gentlemen to settle their disagreements in combat, and pistols were currently the most popular weapon. As he gained his reputation as an 'unbeatable' duelist, he was provided target practice in the form of a few fools who fancied themselves a good shot. York accepted every challenge he received, and won them too. His skill made him essentially untouchable for most. Any man who had a qualm with him would back down rather than face death. As you might expect, this safety made him a troublemaker. An avid womaniser, he did not fear the anger of fathers. Yes, he had plenty of enemies, but he stayed on the good side of the right powerful people, protecting himself from assassination. He took care to make enemies only with the weak. His flamboyant character kept him in the good graces of the public. York always used the same strategy in a duel; once the start had been called, rather than turning to fire immediately, he would duck or throw himself to the ground. His opponent would then miss his shot, and York would take his time aiming properly, shooting the other man dead every time. Any commander worth his salt knows it is foolish to use the same strategy so frequently, but it worked for York. His opponents knew what he would do, but they still could never hit him. The secret to York's victory was simple: he was a cheat. Were he born two hundred years earlier, he would be a court Jester. Two hundred years later, a stage magician. He was a master of showmanship and sleight of hand. Everywhere he went, he would carry with him a duelling pistol with a blank shot. He would put on a show before the duel, captivating the attention of all who were watching, then diverting it elsewhere for a brief moment, during which he switched one pistol for the one loaded with a blank. Alternatively, he would have his servant replace it beforehand. If he was being challenged, he would provide his own set, and then use body language and subtle suggestion to coax his unaware opponent into choosing the sabotaged pistol. The reason he always let the other man fire first was so that the blank shot would not be discovered afterward. York's latest duel was with a stranger named Harrow. York had not wronged Harrow, but Harrow had challenged him nevertheless. Harrow claimed merely to be seeking a challenge, but York suspected he was hired by a certain local landowner whose daughter York had recently slept with. He was not bothered by the deception; he would win the duel regardless of Harrow's motive and leave for the next town. Since Harrow had challenged York, York provided the weapons and Harrow would choose first. This meant that York did not have to switch the pistols in the presence of witnesses, but he did have to force Harrow to choose the sabotaged pistol. This always proved trickier, but it was a skill he practiced extensively on his servants. The pistols were always prepared such that the steel components on the sabotaged one were slightly more polished, mostly to make a more attractive choice to the unsuspecting victim, but also to tell York which was which. As York's servant opened the pistol case, York checked that the shinier one was on the left as always. York took care to always stand on the right, as the challenger would be more likely to choose the pistol closest to himself. Noticing that the sabotaged pistol had sunken deeper into the velvet than its sibling (making it less prominent), he flourished his hand towards a nearby tree, making idle conversation about Autumn's early colours. It is natural for humans to follow a moving object with their eyes. If the object moves in a straight line, the natural response is to snap back to where the object started. But if the object moves in an arc, people's eyes will remain fixed on it when it stops. This effect is what York was taking advantage of. He moved his hand in a large arc towards the tree, diverting everyone's eyes from the pistol case as he lifted the sabotaged one into a more attractive spot. When everyone finally returned their gaze to York, they were none the wiser to his little adjustment. Suddenly, Harrow slapped York's hat off his head. The hat fell behind him and York stumbled in surprise. After York had regained his hat and balance, Harrow explained that there had been a wasp on the hat and he was simply saving him from a sting. This unconvincing story put York in a foul mood. "I'll be glad to shoot this impudent bastard!" he thought. "Enough talk, choose your weapon." he said disdainfully. He smiled as Harrow picked up the pistol on the left and walked to his position. York took the other pistol and did the same. They turned their backs and waited for the signal. As it came, York ducked down immediately and spun around. But strangely, Harrow had not fired. He was just standing there, watching York. He wasn't even aiming his pistol. "What is he playing at? Is he just trying to do something differently from the others? I ought to shoot him anyway. I'll fire the other pistol into the air later to get rid of the blank." he thought. He stood up, aimed his pistol at Harrow, and pulled the trigger. A blast came from the barrel, but as the smoke cleared, Harrow was unharmed. Harrow grinned sardonically as he raised his pistol to level with York's chest, the flintlock glinting in the sunlight.