American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1851, 1851-10-21
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH
LITTLE JOE, THE DUELLIsT.

Il [Concluded
Snaps play!' exclaimed the sick man, with a
stare; "why, what do you mean? ! am but in
sorry mood for jesting. / do remember playing
for and losing some gloves and garters to the
| ladies'"
"And, let me tell you, am in still less joking
humor than yourself" returned the captain, in
high dudgeon; Through your cursed obstinacy
played against my better judgment-and was
thousand francs. How shall | come to book !?
In the devils name, how can face my creditor
this evening at Madames reunion? The three
hundred maps l won from you will go but a short
way to meet my losses. think shall 90 mad I"
nAnd fancy that am mad already" groaned
the sufferer from the bed; ''do end this folly,
H."
''Did mot know you, Ishould fancy you intend
ed me offence" replied the captain rather an
grily. "What, have you such conveniency of
memory as to forget that you lost three hundred
maps to me, eight hundred to the count, and
five and-forty to Madame La Co."
Before the unhappy youth could find words
to respond, the valet announced another yisiter,
aud Count Fl was shown in
monsieur lie Comte," pursued the gallant cap
tain, ''are you, too, in jesting mood? My
young friend here cannot be persuaded that we
had little play last night. Excuse me paying
but half my loss till evening; and, in the mean
time, accept these bllets de bdnque" land slittle
Joe" handed the chevalier roll of bank notes J
'syou will find there ten thousand francs"
''Gentlemen," cried the astonished citizen, 81
pray you end this farce. know am indebted
to Madame heavily in gloves and ribbons"
"Why, fends and furies !" exclaimed the cap
tain, edo you pretend, sir, to assert that you did
not lose three hundred maps to me?"
'Or that this acknowledgment for eight hun
dred was not given?" ...
The youth, astounded as he was, took the pa
per- 1t purported to be an /. O. u. but the
forgery was clumsy.
'That is not my writing-nor do | owe either
of you a sous"
The scene that followed may be imagined.
Instant payment, or legal security for the al
legged debts, was demanded-or the alternative
"a meeting in the Bois de Boulogne within two
hours. Half bewildered, the young dupe assent
ed to give the latter-and at the time appointed
he alighted, without friend or weapon, at the
place named for the duel by these infamous
men. ,...
Several other persons were on the ground
all strangers to the unfortunate young man.
Another attempt was made to induce him to
admit the debt of honor, and it was proposed
that a reconciliation should take place between
them justice, the gentlemen unknown were ar
dent in. their endeavors to accommodate the
matter, and persuade the citizen to pay the
money! and they were perfectly sincere in me-
diation on the occasion, for they were all mem
bers of the same dishonest clique But nothing
could shake the youths determination to re-
pudiate the infamous demand Captain K,
irritated TO madness at his total failure, de-
manded that the duel should instantly proceed
and the gang as furious, from the unexpected
disappointment, determined to murder one who
could not be persuaded to submit to barefaced
spoiation.
Never were two combatants more unequally
opposed than the young merchant and the des-
perate gambler-the one, probably, had never
discharged pistol in his life-the other, and
very spot where the doomed youth was standing.
Other and fouler circumstances went to rem
der the result of the impending duel almost a
certainty. K fought with his own pistols
with the firing signal he was particularly ia
miliar-his back was to the sum- and an open
sky behind him. The scoundrel second who
had volunteered his services placed the young
Englishman in position where the trunk Of a
large beech formed a leading line of fire, and
the stream of sunshine through the vista in the
trees was almost binding. To the intentional
murderer and the intended victim, the loaded
weapons were delivered-a preparatory word
was spoken-the signal fell K coolly
raised his pistol, while, by a snapshot, the
furried Englishman anticipated his exccutioncr
by second. On that momentary advantage,
life or death depended The bully, shot directly
through the heart, fell on the sward dead
man, while the bullet destined for the breast of
his antagonist cut the grass harmlessy at the
foot of the fortunate survivor. Never was n
thoughtless youth more proyidentially delivered
by accident from certain murder-nor q scoun-
dre sent to his account so justly and unexpect-
edly as Captain K.
In riding, an hour after the affair had termi-
mated, in the forest, met the body of the dead
gambler on a stretcher, en- route to the Morgue
anecdotes Of Duelliag.