The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-11-25


| by a mistake, and then something just
kind of struck me to try the thing on--a
sort of experiment, you know"
'tDoes any one else know anything
about it 2"
'sNary one."
'.Then see here-this must be a secret
| Of honor between us. I am going to Sc
cure that young man to write leaders for
me-he is worth his weight in gold-but
nobody must know who he is, am al
most certain he will never be suspected.
Remember, Gregory, if the secret gets
wind I shall blame you.
'sAil right, I'm dumb
That very day Arthur Granger was
secured, at handsome salary, to write
such articles as the editor required from
week to week and it was fnrther ar
ranged that the matter should be kept
pround secret; and to avoid suspicion,
the parties were only to meet when ab-
solutely necessary, and then either clan
destinely, or openly as strangers. The
effect of the first article we have already
mentioned; but when the succeeding
week, some three or four more appeared,
of the same stamp, if anything even
more caustic and more cutting, directed
against the whole party and individual
members besides, the excitement increas-
ed, curiosity became eager, and wonder
grew apace. And each succeeding week
but added fuel to the flame. Tue Dem
ocrats grew triumphant and the Wings
furious; and when the parties being
| nearly equally divided, the former car
ried the election by a respectable ma
| jority, the latter grew desperate, and
raved like madmen, deneuncing the IN
known writer as liar and a coward, and
making standing offer of thousand
dollars to any one who would disclose
his name. /:
"If you are discovered, Granger, you
will have to quit this region on short
notice p said the proprietor of the Dem
ocratic paper to the young lawyer, dur
ing one of their stolen interviews. -
"Why SO % asked the latter, quietly.
Because your life will be in danger!''
"Will they murder me ?"
cat least they will insult ano chal-
lenge you, and you will have to run or
fight
Suppose fight then?"
'And be killed 90
+'I must take my chances, Of course.
I shall he entitled to the choice of weap-
| ons, at least.
"What then? what can you do2 You
are not heavy enough for the Bowie, and
your antagonist will be dead shot"
'sBy your leave, he may be shot dead
himself
"Ha! can you shoot2"
':With one of my hair-triggers, can
snuff a candle at ten paces."
ssYou amaze and delight me. Where
did you learn to handle the pistol with
so much skill %
'fFor thee@ast two months I have been
practicing daily, in the woods, just out
of town, preparing for such crisis in
| my fate,. which have long foreseen.'
"By heavens!" exclaimed the other,
/ grasping the young mans hand with in
creased admiration, 81 am just begin
ming to know you, and I am proud of
your acquaintance. To tell you the hon
est truth, I never supposed there was
any more fight in you than in a girl of
sixteen and for a young man to be
challenged in this region and refuse to
fight, is to be forever disgraced; and
thus disgraced, not even the genius of a
Shakespeare, with the wisdom of a. Sol
ONION, could give you any more infu
ence over these people therefore, be-
lieved you would be compelled to leave
the State
''Mr. Bradley" rejoined the young
man with compressed lips, and pecu-
liar CLEAN of his dark blue eye, 81 hope
and pray it may never be my fortune to
meet an antagonist on the o-called field
OF honor but should such be the case,
mark me-[ may tfall, 6att he aciU die i!
Let us change the SuD1ect.
The crisis came. Accidentally the
secret was discovered, and in less than
twenty-four hours Arthur Granger re
ceived three challenges to mortal combat
from three different parties. He called
upon Mr.. Bradley, his employer. to act
as his friend and second, and assured
| him he was ready to fight them all.
my dear friend" said the Journalist,
| grasping his hand, ''this is serious
business. Those men are all pIacticed
| duelists, and considered dead Shots
They intend to kill you, that is certain !;
and, to be candid, I see little hope of
your escaping all three. I am not sure
that you should accept more than one
challenge at present.
| s'Oh, yes-all!" returned the young
hero, positively. ''Please arrange the
| first affair for sunrise tomorrow morn
| ing-the second for half an hour later,
and the third for half an hour later STILL
| If I escape the first, I shall be in time
for the second ard if the second, the
third viii not be kept waiting. If fall
before I give each chance, of course 1
shall have to be excused"
Bradley threw his arms around the
neck of the young lawyer and fairly
hugged him, SO great was his admiration
of his GOODNESS and courage.
eff you live through this ordeal he
| said ssyou can aspire to any Office in the