Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1872-09-19

0kSSSAAs.~S AeHSSS oOAkSOOssOay go ~, WV
j the san's ,rays, and exclaimed, turnin
to me- =. ~"
quarter to four, sir. Half q
hour after time" :.
s.Il bet you that it is not, said
i fgentleman,, with very fierce NOUS
tache, who stood smoking ofRsrbs
fore: the door Of the lsw-roofed krt
ment. /. -
II should know retorted the littl,
red-faoed man, turning sharply upo1
him, = for this is one Of Leroy's bes
watches. ItscoLt two Thousand francs. !
Ml1l bet you ten Louis that titis no
ono of Leroy'swatches, " said; the NOUS
tached smoker, coolly. >~~f1l
The red-faced MIN shrugged Iii
shoulders, aud went into the travellers
room, saying to me
"Don't dine here. We can do bet
ter at ac0fe." .:
"Tll wager you the value of th,
watch that the watch is worth nothing
and If you win You will receive wha
you will not find it, worth your Will,
to take" said the gentleman with the
meustache, following us.
~ did not address my remarks te
you, SIR" :
~:.1N bet you that you did, " said tn.
other, with the most provoking cool
ness. .., go.
The little man, amazed by this per
secution, touched his forehead to sig
nifty that that the gentleman with til.
moustache was mad.
9TH bet you don't prove that Tn
mad0 said the other
There was a pause. They looked
like two dogs waiting to be slipped fol
a, fight. -, :,
"Upon my word,'' said the red-faced
man, ~ know nothing of this fellow,
He is most impudent rascal, whoeve,
he is; and I have good mind to make
him march off,"
I'm make you any bet You like you
don ftmake me march of! |" exclaimed
2he other, pulling his moustache, land
I'll further bet anything you like that
make you take the road back to Paris,
and that, too. without any delay"
The little man, whose face was now
y ep-~crimson with rage, blurted
out
You won't find that very easy
matter, for I came here to get mar.
ried."
." One hundred Napoleons you.do not
marry -
Sir, you are an impertinent scound.
rel, and I will pull your nose.''
I'll make you any bet you like you
lie 4"
The little man stamped with rage.
He glared around him for some mo.
ments in silence, then exclaimed:
e Do you want me to shoot you Z"
"Ill bet you don't shoot me !"
"Where can We procure pistols u
exclaimed the ed-faced man, breathing
short.
"The landlord will accommodate
us, answered the other.
He hurried into the house, and re-
appeared with box containing brace
of pistols.
! had hitherto treated the affair as q
joke, laughing in my sleeve at the red
faced mans rage, and the others cool
insolence. But thought it was now
time to interpose.
Gentlemen"
! But the moustached man turned up.
on me with frown.
"I believe this gentleman to be a
coward, sir" said he, "and if you in.
terfere, l shall conclude you are con-
spring to prevent him from proving
himself q coward"
| said no mora, but followed the two
men to lonely spot in the park, where
the cigar hero was saluted by an Office,
of the garrison, who was willing to be.
come his second.
Having loaded his pistols, we placed
the men. 1t was agreed I should give
the signal, which was to throw five.
franc piece in the air.
My position was peculiarly disa-
greeable one. Up to the last moment
; I had believed that the whole business
was only rather cruel practical joke
on the part of the man with the
moustache, and as my curiosity was
excited to follow this adventure to its
conclusion, had volunteered to be the
red-faced mans second but it seemed
now that one or the other, or both,
must be killed.
"Sir," said the man with the cigar,
turning to me, Ct believe Master
! Jacques to be an honest man, but
though can vouch for his wine, 1 can't
vOuch for his pistols. Before that
gentleman and I make TARGET of ore
another, be SO good as to throw that five
france piece in the air, to see how my
pistol carries" =
! did as he desired, and tossed the
money about seven yards high.
heard the report Of a pistol, and the
piece of money fell indented.
"Bet," said the man with the
moustache, ''that I pierce that leaf
vibrating at the extremity of yonder
| Aud before the other could answer.
the trigger was pulled, aud the leaf
was pierced.
"Bet," continued the man, with the
) most ridiculous coolness. 'sthat I shoot
you clean through the pupil Of tho left
eye, and LAY you dead, and that you
misssme.o
/ The other was as white as a ghost.
! "I believe you" he said, trembling
from head to foot, and throwing his
pistol down. II guess your motives
and admire your stratagem, and, as
am not prepared to die, shall take the
road back again to Marseilles."
In fact, we saw him deposit himself
in the i.ape,'iale of the diligence.
turned to the moustached gentle
man for an explanation. He invited
me take glass Of wine, with him in the
travellers room, and with great good
humor proceeded to solve the enigma.
He was a friend of the young lieu.
tenant, and famous as the deadly shao,
IN France. He had received a letter
the day before from lis friend begging
him to come to F. and help him tc
carry out q ruse which he trusted would
enable him to marry the girl he wa,
passionately in love with.
The moustached gentleman complied
lef1 PARIS, and reached r. in tim,
to receive from his friends lips parti
culars OF the stratagem he and tn
young girl had concerted betwce,