The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-02-03

"And where :? Will the grove of wal.
nut trees on the highway to Tours, which
is we'll known to you be convenient =
"Perfectly so.''
"What arms do you choose p
Martin Louis reflected . moment; then
he said disdainfully:
IL should like best to meet your friend
with the same weapon with which I pun.
ished him this morning. But let it be
swords
The Marquis de Cauchet bowed stiffly
and withdrew.
Strangely enough the dangerous chal.
lenge made no apparent impression upon
the assembled Montbaisson family. They
oil of them were animated by too bitter 4
hatred Of the Precys not to almost vel.
come an event by which they might graf
ify it in = bloody manner.
MY CONS. )" said tho old Count at last,
gravely, ''let US take, in the presence Of
your mother and sister, a solemn oath to
avenge your brothers death. in case he
should fall in his combat with the com.
mon vile enemy"
The two younger sons, Bernardin and
Charles, repeated the awful oath which,
their father uttered. The remainder oil
the day they spent As if they were not on
the eve of terrible tragedy.
The 9th Of July, 1779, dawned. No
more glorious morning could be imagined +;
but, when the first rays of the sun dis
PEELED the lingering mists Of the night,
two human tigers rushed at each other
in the above mentioned grove of walnut
trees. Both Martin Louis and Veronin,
like most young noblemen Of that period,
were skilled swords.men. The first few
rounds were bloodlcss. Suddenly, Yer.
onin uttered cry. His left shoulder
had been pierced, and the blood began to
stream from his wound. He turned very
pale, and with desperate effort rushed
again upon his antagonist.
Martin Louis smiled disdainfully. He
easily warded off the stroke. But the
next effort Of Veronin was more success.
full. His blade pierced Martin Louis
breast. A groan Of pain escaped him.
He staggered as if ready to sink down.
Veronin uttered triumphant yell.
"You will die dog - he said. Us he gloat.
cd upon the livid countenance of his
wounded adversary.
mo! no (! you shall die!" reared Mar.
tin Louis back.
He gathered all his strength and at
tackled Vcronin with fury which the
latter was unable to withstand. A mo.
ment later Veronin's heart Was pierced
by Martin Louis sword. With yell OF
pain he fell, and expired. But Martin
Louis too, was MORALLY wounded. His
life.blood was is ebbing away, and two
or three minutes afterward he was also q
corpse.
An hour later Baron de Precy found
his sons cold and stiff remains in the
walnut.trec grove. For moment even
the thought that with his first-born had
fallen the hated first.born Of Montbaisson
was unable to assuage his grief. But,
when he turned round and met
THE GLANCE OF DEADLY HATRED
which the father Of the slain Martin Lou.
is do Montbaisson, who had likewise come
to look after his son, bent upon him he
said
lila, Montbaissen! The sons have
fought: 1t is now the turn Of the ia.
thers!''
"Bs it 50 !" said the count haushtily
II shall wait here for you Tomorrow
morning 1T this hour with my brace OF
pistols, without witness. It shall he
death for one or both of US !"
The challenge was communicated to the
anxiously waiting families Of the two old
men 1T the same time 1T which the CORY
remains Of the two slain young men were
taken home. So terrible was the thirst
for revenge at both castles, that hardly
= tear was shed for the dead.
The duel next morning resulted in 4
similarly fatal manner. Baron de Pre-.
cys first shot severely wounded Count de
Montbaisson. The latter, however, had
strength and firmness enough left to send
bullet through the Baron's heart.
There was CRASHING Of teeth at Castle
Precy when the Baron's remains arrived
there, and they heard that Count Mont:
baisson vas likely to recover from his
wound. Such, did not prove to be the
case, however. Three weeks later he
died in the greatest agony, causing, on
his death.bed. his remaining two sons,
Bernardin and Charles, to repeat their
oath Of vengence against the Precys.
OF the latter, but two were left-Vic:
tor and Lucrece. Victor and Bernardin
fought duel. They only inflicted pain.
full wounds upon each other. 49,.
BY this time the royal Government had
heard OF the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. enter
tained BY the two families toward each
other. King Louis the Sixteenth, in or
der to prevent any further bloodshed,
had the two wounded youths conveyed to
tho Bastile, where Precy died soon after
bis arrival, while Bernardin dc Mont.
baisson remained prisoner for. three
years when he also expired. %.@s1
Thus in tho year 1852, but one male
member Of each family survived =
Charles do Montbaisson ard Luerece de
Frecy. II ut s~ 49, 49, :f,r,,E rs sst :..,
They were 1t this time little more than
boys. and Is dissimilar in character q
possible. <-ss IS >exss sez.z~ 80. :.
Lucrece Do Precy, then fifteen year.
old, vas & somber and almost misan.
,thropic person. OF slender build, no had
nAvap N al vn,,rh III svnn fnvp ~ M.