The duel between the respective agents of the Schafhausen and Herxheimer families begins. Reinhard von Müsel, sensing a malicious intent from Herxheimer's agent, decides to heed Siegfried Kircheis's advice of leaping sideways the moment the first shot is fired; a technically legal, but frowned upon, move. Both sides thus miss their first shots. In their second shot, Reinhard manages to hit Herxheimer's agent on his right shoulder, while the latter hit Reinhard's left arm. Reinhard realises that had he not used his left arm as a stabiliser to his right hand, the bullet would have hit his chest and killed him. Just as the referee is about to declare Reinhard as the winner based on the results of their second shots, Herxheimer's agent insists on continuing the duel with swords. Despite his injury, he proves to be much more adept with a sword than Reinhard and is about to defeat Reinhard when Imperial Guards under the direct order of Kaiser Friedrich IV suddenly arrive and order the duel to be suspended and the mining rights dispute be resolved by splitting the proceeds equally between the two family. The Schafhausen family is pleased with this outcome while Count Herxheimer accepts it reluctantly.