Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-12-05

flask of brandy, some powder and bull
lets, and a brace of pistols in my peck
cts, and we sailed forth in the cold
morning air. Scarcely any one was
abroad except few sleepy watchmen,
who seemed to make very shrewd
guesses at the object of our expedition;
and through the silent streets we went
for mile or so, until we reached the
meeting-place.
.Loroquiere and Dalaraie were there
before us, and my friend the surgeon
arrived Immediately afterward in his
carriage, which waited near at hand.
The pistols were produced and loaded.
Laroquiere chose one, and l gave the
other to Paul; and then the two men
took up positions at a distance Of twenty
PAGES from each other, and | waited
for Delaraie to give the signal to fire.
"Stay!" cried the bully, as his second
stepped back: "let the young hound
listen to this. am not .trifiing with
him; / will shoot him only where he
wishes, for am generous, parbleu!'
IF / do not kill you:" said Paul, quiet
ly, prefer to die.
Then [ shoot HIM through the
heart" coolly observed Laroquiere. cit
will teach others not to challenge me-"
There was something to me unspeak-
ably horrible in the way in which these
last words were pronounced l shud-
dered and looked at Paul. He smiled
at me, and at the same instant Delaraie
gave the signal. .-
There was but one report, for Fer
rand's pistol flashed in the pan. The
poor fellow turned round toward me
with fixed eye and pale face, and with
the name of Alice on his lips fell dead.
Larouuiere turned on his heel, and de-
parted quickly with Delaraie, while [
aided the surgeon in his brief examina-
ton of PauPs body Surely enough the
bullet had passed through his heart. He
must have died almost instantaneously.
for he did not move after he fell, and
the last smile with which he had looked
at me was still upon his face. 1t was a
melancholy business in every respect.
/ had to break the sad news to Alice
and her mother; and the two ladies
were so terribly overcome, that feared
the shock would have some permanent
effect upon their health. For my part,
| was obliged to hurry to England as
soon as possible, and Laroquiere. |
heard, also got away and remained out
of France until the affair had blown
over.
/ kept up correspondence with Mrs.
Rae, and was glad after a time to hear
from her that Alice, though still terri
ably upset, had learned to look with y
certain amount of philosophy upon her
misfortune, and had, to some extent,
recovered her usual health. if not
her usual spirits. Meantime l settled
down in London, and, unable to forget
Partisan habits, usually dined at one Of
the then much-frequented taverns in
Fleet street. The Cheshire Cheese,
which was then in much the same state
that it is now. was my favorite haunt;
and there as months passed by, I grad
ually picked up few pleasant acquaint-
ances, chief among whom was an ex-
tremely well-manered gentleman named
Barton. a man of independent means,
good family, and first-rate education.
One day after he had been dining
with me, the conversation turned upon
continental manners, and particularly
upon dueling AS an illustration of my
adherence of the system, told my
companion about PauPs death, matter
in which Barton appeared much inter
ested. He asked me good many
questions about the parties, concerned,
and after expressing a remarkably
strong opinion to the effect that Laro-
quiere was a blackguard, bid me good
night. l Went home to my room in the
Temple; and the next day on visiting
Cheshire Cheese, found no Barton. He
had left word with one of the walters
chat urgant business called him away,
but that he hoped to see me ON his re-
turn. Weeks passed, and then months,
and still Barton did not come back; and
[ confess that l had begun to forget him
altogether, when one evening he drop
ped in to dinner as though lie had not
been absont for more than day or
two.
"Where have you been" [ asked,
after 1 had heartily shaken hands with
him.
~ have been to Paris" he said {. On
arriving there | found out little more
than you told me about Laroquiere, and
when [ had thoroughly convince my
self that he was the blackguard you
painted him, l arranged for a series Of
lessons at a pistol gallery. Every day
fora month Iwent and shot for an hour
or two; until | was so perfect as to be
able to hit small coin every time at q
distance of twenty PAGES. After satisfy
ing myself to my proficiency, [ took
box at the opera, it my have been the
same box that you used to have. Loro-
quiere was pointed out to me. He sat
In the stalls, and between the acts he
left his seat in order to speak to lady
in another part of the house. | de-
scended as quickly as possibly and took
his place. He returned and asked me
in an overbearing tone to move. I re-
fused. He persisted. Istruck him. He
sent me challenge, and we met upon
the same spot, curiously enough, where
he had k lied your fri, III Ferrand. Be-
fore the signal was given I said: M.
Laroquiere, listen to me. I am not
here to trif1e with you; but I am as gen
erous as you were with Paul Ferrand.
will shoot you only where you WISH
He turned deadly pale. I'VE will see,'
he said, whether [ will not make Won a.