Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-09-03
could nm a hour

Just uSAe 70 which the walters ha
ter ed the colonel and his daugl
at dot FOOLS" said Clisson to himsel
they little know that the colonel hs
4, an Incompatible parry, and retur
e thrust which he plants just under th
: left collar bone, that no duelist in Franc
r who ever-crossed swords with him ha
(; lescaped that thrust, and that two {
e three il has killed"
AS the deputation ofthe Deaths Hea
Club passed into the room, the coIont
met them sternly at the door.
Gentlemen, you mistake; this is
private room."
Captain johnson, the fie hting member
advanced at once in an insolent manne
1 TO Colonel Mossard md his daughtel
who had come from an inner room, an
: was now clinging to his arm, alarmed q
the menacing and dissolute faces of tn
: intruders.
1t is the custom of the Muscoge
House" said the bully, in our club 70
the fighting member of the night to de
mand kiss from every lady guest VIII
arrives here. For that we have nov
come. am the fighting member. NJ,
dear Madepoiselle, allow me.n
He laid his large red hand on tn
shoulder Of the shrinking girl. The mex
moment he lay half-stunned upon tn
, floor.
The colonel stood with one foot OIL
johnson, and waved his drawn sword il
] hand
} The club drew back.
Kill himW cried the PROSTATE bully
Three or four men drew their swords
! and advanced; the colonel struck one Oh
the arm; the rest fell back before the
furious charge.
At this moment Clisson forced his way
to the front.
Gentlemen he said, with assumed
Indignation, 4" "thisIis nnmanly, this is un
worthy of brave men; you are six to one
The colonel is no doubt ready to give
any one of you satisfaction"
| Dolores recognized him, and looking
up thanked him silently with a faini
smile.
Young man." said the colonel, stern.
\ ly, . can protect myself against even g
dozen of such ruffians. 1 have long age
Learned how to guard my own head. j
have heard before of your association Of
murderers; vowed to check it, as did
at Guadaloupe. You have hurried on
your own doom. did it there by the
law here l will do it by the sword. /
| fight you one by one, in your own order,
and in your own place. If L fall, there
are friends in the town who will take
care of my daughter"
Clisson advanced and offered him his
hand.
"No," he said; "I remember you; you
are gambler and duelist. / refused
you Dolores then, and L refuse her now.
tShe needs no protection of yours. L see
other old friends here. too, no less un-
welcomed than yourself; Captain John
son, drummed out of his regiment for
selling information to the enemy; Mr..
Thornton, detected gambler, sent to
prison in New Orleans for using loaded
dice. Mr.. Clisson, you need give me no
other proof of your reformation; see it
by yeur companions"
1.-THE RBNCoUNTRE.
The rules of the Deaths Head Club re-
quired their duels to be by candle-light,
without seconds; the combatants were
locked in the club-room till the victor
gave the signal for the doors 10 be opened.
The colonel made no objection to these
restrictions. He only smiled haughtily
when he saw the theatrical horrors of
the room.
"Good to frighten children" he said.
"but for nothing else. l prefer fighting
without seconds. One can devote one
self more thoroughly to the work on
hand; beside, there is less interruption.
Have you a surgeon ready, gentlemen?'
There is no need of surgeon" said
his antagonist, the red-faced captain he
had trodded under foot the night before.
/" My sword generally saves any expense
that way"
The doors were locked. There was a
heavy stamping of feet as Capt. johnson
advanced to the attack; then sound of
shivered steel, gasping cry, and heavy
fall upon the floor.
You may open the door, gentlemen
said voice. The door was opened, and
there lay the champion of the club
wounded to death. His broken sword
was at the farthest end of the ROOM The
colonel, as they entered horror-stricken,
took off his hat, sheathed his sword, |
bowed, and retired. The club was as
tonished and dumbfounded. The cap
tain had been run through the lungs, /
just under the collar-bone There was
little hope of his life. The second and /
third days the colonel dangerously
his man in an equally short /
space of time, and with equal cold and
formal gravity.
III.-THE SECRET.
The evening of the third day, as Dolores
Massard sat in her room at her tambourl
frame, in the absence of her father, who
mad gone on secret commission from
,he French Government to some of the
planters near Savannah, disaffected to
,he English Government, her black
nurse suddenly entering the room, whis-
Dered in low, frightened voice.
Young gentleman. dear! old friend,
20 see missy!"
The woman had been bribed by Clis-
ION, who now entering the room threw
himself at the feet of Dolores, and .eizing
1er hand covered it with passionate
kisses.
"Dear Dolores" he said, "my life, my
'oul; do you love me no longer?"
"Oh, Frank, you must not see me here.
Ny father has forbidden me to see yeu.u
Dolores, yeu loved me once. Do you
that night by the sea shore,
when we exchanged those vows of eternal
ove?u
Ask your own heart Frank-ask it ifI
can forget that on the death bed of my !
mother swore never to give my hand
o you. And that vow L will keep
Dolores, you do me wrong You
hink that 1 am one of those wild
eckless men who insulted your father.
am not one of those men. I tried in
ain to repress their insolence. 1 come
o you as suppliant. Tomorrow my
ather fights yours. L know he must die.
know that nothing can save him from
he irresistible workmanship that has ,
lready struck down man after man.
you'd willingly die for my father; but
le will not let me take his place because [
am not one of this band of professional
o Dolores, does not your
leart bleed fer me? Pity me, pity me,
Dolores; tormented by this terrible fear,
nd helpless before this cruel destiny.'' .
Frank, my heart does bleed for you;
ut how can L help you? 1 have no
ower." f
The perfidious lover, clasping her in
is arms tears rose in his ewes he criad