The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-04-16

and would have cut down his insulter with
a blow. But others did the same. They
realized that blood must bevshed, but they
insisted upon flair play" Even in the
horrible code of Texas dueling they de-
manded that the rules of honor % should
be strictly adhered to,
'If you must fight, snid an old ranger
land / see no way to avoid it now, IT shall
be al open aud above board. It's yuuf
choice, Benton. Pick your weapon and
stand MP and fight it out like men.
pistols then-ten paces-wordF was
the gruff answer.
care you satisfedY was asked of White
man.
"Yes-perfectly. Let him take his re-
volver-I have mine. We will commence
firing at the word, and continue to advance
TO do so until one or both falls"
A few steps from the house brought them
to n spot where the greeHgrpss and bright
flowers had more than once been-stniped
in such encounters. The men were placed,
the weapons prepared, and h fatal word
was about TO be given when Whiteman
called the Ranger (who was acting as his
second) and, taking his hand within his
own, whispered: r
"You appear TO be a true-hearted man,
and | wish to ask a favor Of you"
Speak on, Anything | can do shall be
one. just say the word and III take
our place" ~ -..
'No. not that. But II I should chance
to fall promise that you will see me buried
as I am. DO not let my dress be disturbed
in the least. Roll me up in q blanket and
let no one pry around me after ! am dead.
win you promise me that p
ut is a strange thing 10 ask, but I'll dc
it,
Then I am ready"
eyes, III do Il, " repeated the Ranger, as
he slowly retreated, muttering to himself,
'and If you do fail Ill senda bulletthrough
the skull Of him That kills You, and may
the good Lord forgive me II II is murder.
'Now, Luke Benton, continued White
man, II am ready. Yet one word, v and he
stepped TO his side and handed him q min
iature, "If | die, look ut this.
"I1l do IL now" and with trembling
fingers he undid the clRsp-then let il drop
from his hands as If it had been q serpent,
exclaiming, mo, I'll not fight you. Take
him away, some one--takc him away, for
Gods sake"
"Not fight ! then you will die like a
dog and Whiteman raised his weapon
anu mNAlhlta AOI AAt WIN " hh kANAhs
IL was some time, however, before his
request was complied with. The Enewy
frame Of the gambler tremblod like a dry
leaf in the autumn wind; all the color had
left his face; his lips we're like ashes; his
pistol was pointed downwards and shook
In his hand. At length he succeeded, by n
mighty effort, in calming himself. He
braced his n~eryes-glared wildly around,
and with all the calmness Of despair, stood
upon his guard.
'Are you rcady-both rcody2' was
asked.
yes" came simultaneously from two
pair Of lips.
"Onc-two-throe-hr e r.
The report otthe pistols cut the last word
in twain. Tho seconds rushed forward
and lifted the men mp again, for both had
fallen. One, however, would never breathe
more. Luke Benton had fought his last
duel-had gone to his final account with
his heart bullet cleft. Whitman, too, was
dangerously wounded. With his breath
bubbling forth through blood he called
the Ranger to him and asked him for the
miniature. IL was given him-the fair face
of q young man. He covered Il with bloody
fngers-whispered, "Bury IL with me, "
and he, too, had ceased TO live.
With fearful eyes that form was prepared
for the grave, the ranger insisting that his
promise to the dead should be fulfilled to
the letter. But all saw sufficient to satisfy
them that he who called himself Whiteman
was a young woman. And years later they
found u clue TO the mystery. IL was a wife
who had then roVenged the murder of her
husband-murdered for saving her from
dishonorl From a bloody grave in the
c%hApparel, she had gone 10 join him she
had loved so well in the land that lies be-
yond the dark river.
Was her last act one Of sin? II is not for
us 10 judge of such a thing. We know
nothing OF the maddened heart and insane
bain-know nothing Of the long days and
longer nights of suifering-nothing Of how
we would act under such circumstances.
Better leave Judgment TO Him who eanread
10th the mind and the heart, and whose
wall directed the ~ayenging bullet. None
other is without sin, and who will dare to
cast the first stone?