Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-01-18

Il
and all that sort Of silly lf: were TOO
of it is, we have broken d our en- gage
ment-for we were engae I'd, although 1
did not tell you so befo e-and i have
left my friend" this very BITTERLY ~mas-
ter Of the. situation and the lady's beart, l
suppose" 49,.
"Why, Gabriel, you don't meal this,
surely ?'' said [, shocked at the condition
of affairs. and still unwilling to believe
that Paul could have been so to ially re-
gardless O. all priv ciple as to '.illfully
put himself betwee Gabriel and his be-
trothed.
"Don't L. Az indeed do. But l
will not act the fool-rely on me for
that"
''Still, this MAJ be only freak of the
girls. You know, women always like to
tantalize their lovers"
"'Tis no freak |"
"She's not in earnest ?"
Earnest or no earnest, I've done with
her forever. / saw too much Of her con-
duct with Mr.. Paul ever to bother myself
about her again."
OF Paul I saw nothing for a week.
! One afternoon, wearied with hard study,
| sauntered into the academy Of Jean
Petit. Two or three pupils were lunging
furiously at targets, under the direction
of the piaster.
"Ah. Monsieur! Glad to see you,"
cried the exile, joyously. sit is long since
you and Monsieur Paul and Monsieur
Gabriel have honored my poor place with
your presence"
Hardly had / received his welcome,
when the door opened, and Paul and Ga
| briel entered. l was astOnished that they
should be together again. and l shook
them both warmly by the hand.
"Why, Paul, how thin you are!" re-
marked. "And you, Gabriel, seem white
as chalk! The country did not agree with
either of YOU" added, slyly, conjectur-
ing that the little difference about Laura
had been all-settled.
sLet us have the foils for a pout, Mon
sieur Jean," said Gabriel, not needing my
remark.
"Ha! l am glad to see you cross
blades again." chuckled the master, as,
after moments conference, the fencers
came on guard. 'fou are two on my
best pupils. But, gentlemen, your masks
are forgotten"
aNonsense.. Jean Petit! Don't you
think we know how to take care of oul
faces by this time, after all your teach
ing?" said Faul.
They fenced rapidly, and well.
''Mind your tierce-guard, Paul ~ shout
ed the master, who watched their skill
with proud and delighted eyes.
He was standing by me, and together
we remarked that both Paul and Gabrie
seemed tn be on their mettle. Their foil
crossed and disengaged like flasn-they
! advanced and retreated, and feinted ant
: parried in style had never seen eiihe
4 approach before.
E "Be careful about that tierce J" warn
: ed Jean Petit again. And then, after
r moments pause, as if something unu
sual had occurred, and startled him, h
s cried, "Pardieu, Monsieurs! this mus
e stOpi Throw down your foils at once J!
4 And he was rushing between the fencers
d when Gabriel's blade struck Paul i
s tierce. and, to my utter astenishmeni
j, 4 pierced him in the side. He was falling
e when Jean Petit caught him in his arms
> "My God ~ calculated, "waat acc
l. dent is this?"
g Paul was living on the floor, bleedin,
IS profusely from the wound in his side
t. and then discovered that both foils wer
e without buttons.
n "Here are the facts" said Gabriel, i
If a voice almost inarticulate with emotion
IL .You know we quarreled; and we dec
e ded to fight it out here, with Jean Petit
Is foils. You see the result. We broke tn
s. buttons off before we engaged. o. Paul
d Paul are you much hurt?-are you d.
y ing?" And he knelt beside the wount
ed student.
n "He is dead. Monsieur" said Jea
Petit. solemnly laying the head of OF
Id poor Paul reverentially on the floor.
a A grave in the wilds Of Australia col
tains the dust of Gabriel. He could M
IS bear to live in England, after the duel
a. which he slew his once loving friend. II
ID true facts of the affair were never brougi
to light. The newspapers had a par
graph warning fencers to be careful tn,
N their foils were buttoned before engaging
r Of Laura Summers, heard, year aftt
ne the death of Paul, that she married
wealthy corn-dealer, and was most e,
to emplary wife. l often wondered if Il
Id wreck of two gallant gentleman, Il
rt friends whom / loved indeed, ev'
to troubled her dreams.
I'd Jean Petit still prospers with his fencir
n school. The history Of the boat on tn
in fatal day has never passed his lips.-Ore
land Monthly, for January.