Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-01-17
fOoocluded from first page.1


eled to get free. His enemy-with
shout of demoniacal laughter which rang
through the place-held him firm. and
drove him right down to the stream. The
whole affair had taken place so quickly
that there was no chance of Interference
and it was all over in a second.
For. as it happened, there was log o.
wood living concealed among the grass by
the rivers side; Maurice, tripping over it.
stumbled and fell headlong into the water
while Humphreys, stumbling also, bu
having proper warning, fell, but managec
10 save himself from going into the stream
The next minute Maurice had scramble zee
out again through the rushes, dripping
from head to heel, and trying to get hl'
wet hair out of his eyes. His hat was
quietly floating down the Thames.
His rival stood firm. 1fuly expected &c
be the unwilling witness of combat ike
that which the lover of Helen OF klrkcoh'
nell describes when, by the rivers side' ne
drew his sword aud hacked his rival 'in
pieces sma'." But the young man was a
wise young man; aud who can hght WIN
ones ewes blinded, and ones garment
heavy with water?
.You shall hear from me within an
hour said he, ominously, as he made Ior
the garden of the inn, by which way ne
had hoped to get in, unpereelved, 10 the
house.
Then ensued strange and wild scene.
The elderly gentleman tossed ms wiae-
awake into the air. He caught 1t coming
down. and kicked it dozen yards out into
the long grass. Then. with his hands IN
the air the performed a savage dance OF
joy. swapping his fingers. and calling out
Elbow hath the cheeky fallen! lie hath
been overcome and vanquished. utterly
smote cut and annihilated. scrunched up,
and knocked into everlasting smithereens.
My dear friend, shall We drink on the
strength of this? lis now the wltching
hour of half-past six, when he who loves
his dinner might have tinv glass OF sher-
ry-and-btters-nicM Udhr2"
His friend took more sober view OF
the situation.
1.-THE best thing you can do, Humphreys,
is to compose your nerves with something
else than sherry. You'll have to fight
that young man as soon as he gets dry
clothes on-you may as well make up your
mind to it,"
"And who's afraid ?" said he. who's
afraid OF that sand -colored bell-rope-that
elongated pelican-that indefinite length
of Sydenham trowsers and shirt-collarP
Bah l will explode him into the prime
val elements l will twist him round the
trunk of tree, and people will mistake
him in the morning for a snake that has
died of bilious attack"
CHAPTER v.-THE DUEL.
In a very short space of time young
Maurice came out again, dressed in another
suit of clothes. He went past us rapidly
without speaking We saw him across the
bridge and 90 into the town.
"Now what is he up to ?" said Mr.. Hum
phreys, trife more serious.
He is either gone to get a policeman to
give you in charge for assault, or to get a
pair Of pistols at an ironmonger's.'
pistols ?" said Mr.. Humphreys. con-
temptuously; THAT would be like the lu-
matte
And it was; for few moments after Mr..
Maurice returned, and coming up to his
rival. firmly and courteously informed him
that he meant to fight him that he did not
think he would have fair chance in a vul-
gar boxing match, but that he had bought
a pair of pistols with which they could
settle their quarrel in the adjoining mead
ow. Mr.. Humphreys listened with a laugh
ON his face: then he saw that it was no
good making joke about it, and finally,
stung by chance remark of his oppo-
nent. he said, "All right: come along -
Now what was the third person who
was the spectator of all this folly to do ?
The whole affair seemed so incredible
that to call any ones attention to it might
have been compromising and yet, to all
appearances, these two were really going
down to the side of the river to load these
pistols and fire them at each other.
II thought" said l to them both, THAT
when gentlemen in France went out to
fire halfloaded weapons at each other
they generally took with them a doctor to
make believe the thing was serious. Don't
you mean TO have doctor, or any Sec
onds. or any reporter to send romantic
account to the Figaro?"
ave shall do very well by ourselves"
said the younger man and the two imbe-
Giles walked off.
There remained but one thing for me to
do. In certain chamber in that old
fashioned inn there was a lady dressing
for dinuer; and when she is finally ar
ranging the flowers in her hair she does
not like TO be disturbed. However, when
l represented to her the deadly schemes
of those two people whom we could see
walking down to the meadow, she qAite
forgot the last yellow rosebud and caught
at a light shawl which she threw round
her head and shoulders.
"Shall we tell them the truth ?" said
Tita.
what TRUTH" said I "only. whatever
truth you have to tell them, vou'd better
look sharp"
What placid evening was shining all
around when we fastened down to the
river-the sweet-brier of the garden scent
ing the air, and the beautiful tints in the
sky showing on the clear bosom of the
Thames! We could see those two black
figures down by the tall green rushes.
They had apparently settled the prelimi-
naries, and were now some dozen yards
apart.
They see US now-oh, the two babies p
said my companion.
The notion of bringing a lady on the
scene was obviously successful; one could
see each of them smuggling something
away into his coat pocket. When we ar
rived on the spot they were evidently
contemplating the beauty of the scenery !;