Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-12-02


"Why, mopsieurr' exclaimed tin
lady, Il am surprised to hear you speal
thus. Surely You could not hav,
mingled much in society. Peopi
rarely grow weary in France. But her
We are at home. Now, gentleman
please follow ms to the presence O
Mons. Chsubert."
We found the painter very uneasy a
the absence of his sister and daughter
When the ladies explained the services
we had rendered them, the old maj
took Our hands warmly in his own. ant
thanked us as only Frenchman could
lyon must stay to supper" he said
The meal consisted Of fruits, wine anl
coffee, and we made ourselves yer,
happy over the frugal repast.
For the next two or three weeks
Dnrand and myself talked nightly o.
the beautiful Genevieve, as we sat be
side our lamp. ] saw plainly that ht
was IN love with the painters daughter
We called once or twice during thi,
time on the ladies', and received &
hearty welcome. Mons. Chaubert had
forbidden his sister and daughter TO GO
out in the city unattended, and Durand
or myself had the pleasure of acting as
an escort when Mons. Chaubert did moi
go himself. ...- .....
One morning 1 was sitting in my
room, when Durand entered in tern.
BILE excitement.
''What ON earth is the matter,
Charles 2" l inquired. r
'What do you think ?" he cried
''that puppy Merido insulted Genevieve
and her aunt, as l was escOrting them
from mass this morning"
"What. Senor Merido ?"
"Yes, Senor Merido, as you call him,
and now | am going to seek him, only
having stopped to ask you to accompany
me-"
This sounds very strange" l said.
Angel Merido was always considered,
gentleman. He Is the last person /
should have supposed who would have
committed such an act"
Hes villain, cried Durand "Ill
tell you something, but it must not be
repeated to Mons. Chaubert. Merido
had been pestering Genevieve some
time with love letters sent by a small
girl. She would not inform her father,
fearing it would make him unhappy.
The wretch finding that Genevieve did
not respond. began to threaten her."
'She told you all this ?" | said.
.'Yes, and more" replied Durand.
Come. let us be of. P"
After long search, we found Merido
sitting at a Fonda with couple of his
friends. They were drinking wine.
Durand walked up to the spot where
he was sitting, and slapped him in the
face with his glove. E
With the ferocity of tiger Merido
sprang at Durand. In an instant the
Fonda was a scene of confusion, and
the landlord ran to the door and called
for the police. The beiligerents were
prevented from assaulting each other.
however, and amid the commotion, [
got Durand to retire. We went directly
TO our rooms, well knowing that We
should hear from Senor Merido. Sure
before the afternoon passed,
one of his friends bore a challenge,
which he placed in the hands of Du-
rand.
''Now this is something / like, cried
the chivalric Frenchmen, 81 shall kill
that reptile that will be a comfort at
least. "
"And for doing which, you will have
to leave the eountry," l replied.
81 don't know about that, replied
Durand.
"But I DO" I replied. "Merido is
related to wealthy and influential
people. If you kill him, they will
either have you arrested or assassinated;
that. is, if you don't happen to run
away"
81 must fight him; that cannot be
avoided. "Will you be my friend ?"
said Durand.
"Of course" | replied "though to
tell you the truth, L wonld not do the
same thing for any other friend L pos
sess."
It was in a grove of lime trees, with
the fruit still green on the boughs, that
Charles Durand met Angel Merido to
fight aud kill him. The spot selected
was about a league outside the city.
The weapons selected were pistols.
This was a source of regret to me, for
Durand was an excellent swordsman,
Dut never had heard him speak of
pistols, and WAS quite sure he had no
practice with them.
Two friends accompanied Merido. /
alone was with Duran,! We went out
On horseback.
The ground having been measured
Of, MeridO won the first fire. My heart
.hrobbed as 1 placed the weapon in
Durand's hand, He was as cool as if
he was going to play billiards. He had
been eating bunch of grapes.
When all was ready, we took our
stations, and the word being given,
Merido fired, and l saw Durand
slightly start. L sprang forward to his
side, and asked him if he was hit He
replied in low voice
1.-The rascal has cut away part of my
ear. don't you see it is bleeding. But
stand aside, his time is now coming"
I stepped backward and watched
DGrand as he took deliberate aim at his
Then there came a ringing
report, and Merido, clasping his hand
TO his side, staggered forward a few
PAGES, and was caught in the arms of
his friends, iust as he was falling to
the earth. He had been shot directly
through his lungs.
II wish to see Durand," exclaimed
the dying man.
Charles went to his side, and Merido
gazed up into his face with a look of
hatred
"Stoop down to me-" he said.
Durand knelt close beside him, when
the Mexican, by strong effort, raised
himself on his elbow, and spat IN Du-
rand's face.
Charles calmly took out his handker-
chief and wiped his cheek. He could
not retaliate ON a dying foe.
Listen" cried Merido, gasping even
as he spoke. "You have killed me, but
L have five brothers, and my uncle is a
Judge so don't think your days will
be very long on earth. III the law failed
to convict you, they would hunt you to
the death. And this is all for that
French girl. Hark, you Frenchman."
he continued, when you rescued your
by the anueduct thew