The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-11-26

GUS character, and they left theroom to-
gether. We shouted after them to come
back, but they paid no attention TO our
cal, and supposing 1t to be q joke Of
Victor's, and that he had gone off to
pass the evening in the quarters of some
other of his comrades, we thought no
more OF the matter. The conversation
took a new turn. Cyrzinski laid aside
his pipe, and, becoming unusually COM
municative, told us Que or two strange.
wild stories of the fate of persons Who
had disturbed the repose of the dead.
In his native province, he said, there
up body always met an untimely death;
and that unless he made expiation BY
masses and penanoe, he never lived to
see the anniversary OF the day on which
the sacrilegious act had been committed.
1t was easy to perceive that Cyrzinski
himself was not altogether exempt from
u belief in these superstitions.
Nearly an hour had elapsed since Vic
tors departure, when there was a loud
knocking at the house-door; and q mo
ment after the Frenchman burst into the
room, followed by his comrade, and
laughing in tone boisterous, but it APP
peafed TO me, somewhat forced gayety.
'sWe have got It," cried he, "alter be-
VINO took US for Carlist toragers, be-
lieve."
"Take that bird of i'll omen," continued
Victor, who, probably from the effect oil
the cool air, seemed more Intoxicated
than when he left the room; and be
threw small bundle at Cyrzinski. The
latter, not thinking what IL might be, by
a natural movement held out his hand,
and caught. AS he did SO, the bundle
unrolled itself, and shirt OF beautifully
line linen, but stained with blood and
earth, dangled from the hand OF the Pole,
whoimmediately let IL drop.
/ could perceive the slightest possible
sparkle OF anger in his fine, clear blue
eye.
Victor, who had just drank off bump
er TO counteract, as he said, the effect of
the night-damps, cried:
"Y ou seem TO think that you are to be
a law-giver among us, and that we are
only to do what you approved of. Is not
that the case. Master Cyrzinskip
10 this accusation, Than which there
could not have been more untounded
one, the Pole made no answer, but con-
tinued pulling at his pipe. l observed
that the Whitfs of smoke followed each
other with greater rapidity than usual;
but his features betrayed no emotion, al
though the bullying tone, rather than
the words, of the Frenchman, could not
be otherwise Lhan calling TO him.
"Responds-moi, doncW shouted Vic
tor, who mad just drank enough to be
very quarrelsome, and who was doubly
incensed by the calm coolness Of
CyrzInski. "Answer me, or l will throw
my glass in your faceW
Victor was standing opposite the Pole
yitb hoI ~ \, l.,e "A,
and whether it was done intentionally or
whether, in the yehemence oil his anger,
he Voluntarily suited the act on to the
word, can not say; but as he spoke, the
glass flew across the table, and smashed
against the opposite wall-Cyrz.nski
receiving part OF the contents IN his
face.
never saw anything more truly dig
nifed that the Poles look ana manner
as he rose from his seat, and, wiping the
wine stains from his sunburned lace and
mustaches, addressed Victor, who still /
continued standing opposite to him, wi b
the dOgged look Of a man who has done
some thingto be ashamed of but has too
much false pride TO acknowledge his
tault.
.'Mon cher" said Cyrzlnski, in better
French than L mad usually heard him
thing; you have insulted a man without
reason, a man who was a solder before
you were born. l have the scars of nine
wounds on my body, and 1 do not feal
being taken for a coward. Say that you
are sorry for what you have done--there
is no degradation in doing so--and let
the thing drop. These gentlemen are
our friends-they will be silent on the
subject for your sake; for myself Il care
not-Cyrzinski Is known TO be no pol
ltrOon."
There was a momentary struggle ir
1.-THE Frenchman's breast between good
feeling and false pride. Unfortunately
1.-THE latter prevailed.
IL have no doubt of your willingness
to receive apologies" replied he, With .
sneer; 'tbut do not feel equally disposed
Ito make them." And, turning on his
heel. he left the room. This .uupleasanl
incident broke upitne party, anu we all
lrebired- to- our quarters except CyrZinski
IWho remained alone with Dun Julian.
| Before day break the next morning the
Etroops were turned out in case OF an at
tack; but none occurring, after being
Iunder arms couple OF hours, they Were
allowed TO return to their quarters. j
| was looking out OF the wind ow OF village
Ip0sddG, when CyrzlnSki and our host O
Lhe previous evening passed by the lat.
ter with his cloak on. He beckoned me
to come down, which i did, and joined
them.
"This is business" !" said Don. Julian
sho wing me that he had case Of pis
tolls under his cape. "Oyrzinski ant
Victor are going 10 fight; nor do see
how it can be helped, ior Victor has
Iagain refused to make the smalles
lapology. You know, probably, tnat oul
military law is severe against dueling
and this affair may cost Us all our com
missions; and the more SO as occurring
in front OF the enemy. Walk down witt
US, ii you have no objection. No harm
lcan accrue to you Tor 30 doing, and youl
levidence may be good for some OF III
hereafter, il it comes to court-martial.
In few minutes we We're on th
ground selected for the duel, which wal
a small field in front OF the village, ant
about equidistant from two of the pick
cts, but screened from view by being il
a sort OF hollow, shut in ON either side
and also to tue rear by high Land ant
plantations OF young forest trees.
was inconvenfently near the canton
ments and pick cts; but the whole OF tn
adjacent country being covered will
troops, it would have been necessar
to have gone leagues to have got
better place, and, on the whole, i
was the most secluded spot that coul
be found. On the side looking towar,
the Carlist camp, the. country slope