Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-04-08
LEONARDTOWN MD. THURSDAY MOI
With these words,


among the crowd ofge kom
was surrounded. / - to
wait. He returned pl@ ne !:
Everything il il The
distance is to be twelS6 Win
you follow me, II yo0 Ri0s
ers il already waiting aP-
pear
We passedarm-in-arz6 md
Of the large apartment. he
had said, was there woit1 1ar-
ance. confess % = -
feeling when tie ~ -
hand BY Erskine. The sud1cnne6s 81
the whole matter had scarcely left me
room for thought until nov. Visions
of face that / loved better than all
else in the world haunted me in . hum
dred pleading ways during the next
three minutes that followed. Thought
of the agony, too, that my family would
feel on the morrow, If the news Of my
death were to reach them ia their quiet
country home. Ny death! Great God!
pas I to die like this shot down for
the mere obedience TO . tyrannous So
cial code that in my heart had always
desrised and hated?
Well, hope of life was strong within
me to the last. God helpme, God help
her, if
One
Erskine's voice bad spoken the first
word of signal. And somehow that
monosyllable wrought a change in my
feeliugs-added force to my arm
and a courage to my heart, that !
had wholly Iespaired Of experiencing.
.Two.'
wheeled half round toward my OPP
ponent. The pistol was clutched in my
hand, now, with grasp of steel. l
was no inferior marksman at ordinary
times. felt that my aim would be
deadly now.
Three
stood face to face with my oppo-
nent.
Fire"
Both pistols, discharged simulta-
neously, made one sharp report
Was 1 unhurt? moved my limbs
slightly; feeling no pain in any Of
them.
Ny opponent, seen family through a
cloud of smoke, was standing erect-un-
injured, perhaps, like myself. And yet
my aim had been sure; or, at least, l
fancied so.
Suddenly George Erskine's voice
sounded at my side, raised to tone of
the most extraordinary louslness:
Three cheers for Ned Sternforth -
He has stood the test bravely.'
l looked about me in utter bewilder-
ment while the cheers were given clam
orously from every side.
For heavens sake I said, turning
toward Erskine, what does this singu-
lar behavior mean on the part of your
self and the other members ? What
have done to deserve this enthusiasm?
Oblige me by explaining
THAT task is mine, said the voice of
Rivers, as he. approached to where !
stood. 4 have been acting q part to-
night, Mr.. Sternforth, which I assure
you was a most disagreeable one. This
evenings entire performance may be
summed up in two words-your initia-
tion. Perhaps you can now understand
why it is that the Club is SO diff.
cult to enter. The men who fail ia
stand the test put upon you this even-
ing fail in becoming members. The
secresy of our imitation system is moth
ing remarkable. Those who have ex.
perienced it @iihoat atterscard becoming
members are not the ones to inform so.
ciety of their inability to stand fire.
Modification usually keeps them silent
And now, continued Rivers, extending
his hand, 4 trust that an apology fol
the ridiculous insults I hurled at yor
this evening will be fully accepted
Let the whole matter, like the charge
of those bulletless pistols we Tough!
with, end in-smoke.'
He offered me cigar. accepted
it, and his extended hand likewise, and 81
ended my FIRST evening at the L.