Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-12-09

ileI eIe-ho"-lhls very minute. roar
Ell Rayburn, grinding his teeth and foam
ing at the mouth.
. Whenever and wherever you like"
responded Thomas, IN the same careless
manner.
. Not so fast, gentleman;" remarked
the commander of the steamer, with a
stern countenance. 81 will permit no
hostile encounters on my vessel, and SO
You must wait TIL we stop 10 wood"
81 am IN no hurry" said Captain Thom-
as, with smile, and the dueIist himself
was forced to yield.
When the supposed Texan returned 10
the cabin, hls eyes Immediately sought the
unlntentional cause of his sudden quar-
rel. She was seated near the door OF the
drawing room, white and quivering with
apparent fear, while the light of her dark
orhs looked dim with tears. As soon rs
he approached she beckoned him 10 a
chair beside her, and addressed him L.
lmpiOrlug accents: " Stranger. I am not
ungrateful for your bravery and kindness
IN the defense Of a friendiess girl, bu. |
entreat you not to throw away your life
IN combat with that dreadful man. ! have
heard Of him often, and know that his
aim IS DEATH
" The challenge has been passed and
accepted, and, OF course, cannot now
decline without eternal disgrace, was his
proud answer.
8 Oh! accursed code of the duelist.''
she exclaimed, with startling emphasis;
- what Internal fascination lives In thy
bloody laws-a charm Of hell that no hero
ISL, has power to resist; Well, have | a
right to hate theer'
3" Have You personally suffered from
particular occurrence of the kind in your
own family!" inquired Thomas, kindly.
"Oh, God! how mnrh!' she murmured
through her tears. Ny father fell OF
that fatal field; and last year, my only
brother had u bosom friend. They dif-
fcred on the race track about some tribe,
the lie passed between them, both were
high spirited, they fought on the SPOT,
lorgave each other when too late, and died
in each others arms"
What was your brothers. name?"
asked the Young man, with pale lips, in
a voice almost suffocated by unuterable
emotions.
" Eugene Girardin."
And You are his sister Emily-once
the child that played with so fondlv in
the bright days Of my boyhood, before [
wandered from my home and friends?"
he said, seizing her fairy fingers with a
convulsIve clasp.
She gazed in his face with bewiider-
ed look, and gasped: - Can it be posi-
bic? Yes, you must indeed by Morton
Thomas, the brother of my brothers mur-
dered friend!'
q The same" faitered the other, Weep
ing IN spite of the utmost exertions to
master his feelings.
- on and myself are now orphans,
and without relation in the world" she
in accents sweetly tender as
an angels whisper by the pillow Of dy-
ing SAINT. Let me be your sister. and
as such pray YOU not to fight that mon
ster! | vii speak to the captain of the
boat, and have him put on shore"
In the meantime, George Rayburn,
having solaced himself by numerous fi-rv
pota.lons at the bar, sat down to q game
Of four handed poker, aud soon became
absorbed in the chances of the play. Be
ing III q desperate mood, he staked enor-
NOUS sums on every suite of cards he re-
and a strange streak Of fortune
smiling upon him for hours, he reckoned
his winnings by thousands
At length he proposed that each gam
bier of the party should risk his entire
capital on the feat Of cutting the highes,
card in the pack, and this being assented
to. he commenced shufiiing the pieces OF
painted paper; but at the moment the bell
rang and the boat stopped to wood, Ray
burn Instantly threw down the cards, and
cried, N a voice of thunder: Come.
Captain Thomas, the signal has sounded
Tor your death or mine!''
His foe sprang to his feet for the pur-
pose Of going on shore; but Emily Girar-
din, The dark-syed girl, clung to his arm
and prayed him to decline the buiiys
challenge.
" Come" shouted the desparado, with
a diaboiical laugh; come, or | VIII shoot
you down by the side of your paramount"
and he drew Il revolver and took two
steps towards his adversary.
Bat more appalling enemy than man
met him by the way. He stood immedi-
ately above the mighty boilers where the
Kissing oninously. Suddenly there came
a low, indescribaLla 4noan, Ike that Of
some imprisoned fiend-it vas the fiend
of fire struggling TO get free-and then q
dali sullen roar, or rather crash; and the
front Of the cabin was shiyered as if torn
10 pieces by thunder bolt Both boilers
had exploded at once; and killed every
person in that part of the vessel. while
these in the ladies' cabin escaped without
injury.
Morton Thomas and Emily Girardin
embarked the next day Oh another boat, (
for the Crescent City, and were eventu-
ally welded
I.o! THE PooR INDIAS.-The Valley
Herald says the unfortunate heather have /,
again been called to their agency, to re- .
ceive their pittance. With melancholy /.