Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-09-20
CItAPTER( v.

- CHAPTER v.
spshlAN ASSAULT AND a, CHALLENGE.
Had Frank Midgely calculated that the
stranger would assault him, he was doomed
to isappointmebt.I{ng Nf',I(jE erni
Instead of drawing weapon, or attempt.
ing to probing tho quarrel at that moment,
the man merely raised his hat in n polite
manner, and turning on his heel moved
away. II
AS coo)ly, rs though nothing moro seri..
Gus than the polite exchange of courteses
had cnsucd, Frank resumed his seat.
Iecould not banish the subject however,
.from his mind, tra surl @ ,o.'aeoi '",.
g A suspicion had taken possession of him
that he had stood face to face with the.
shudow assassin. -tBt!sit am.
Glanciug ut tho card, ho read tho name:
"lIamud."N hn0
There was nothing else.
, Frank did not doubt for a moment
but that the mysteriously acting person
age had purposcIy set out to seek quarrel,
j lie, tficd to recall whether he had ever
seen the fellows singular face before.
lie could not remember that he ever had
Quo fact he did not attompt to CONCEAL
from himself The whole incident meant
'war-war to the death. ho'
lie well knew that challenge TO mortal
combat would follow. rt.t.x s8gVrs, ,,,,
Frank had been bred id section Of The
country where the code is recognized. y,
7 The question now arose who should, he
select to act for him? ~
His mind reverted to the detective. a.
The latter was undoubtediy>a man of
courage; and' despite This shaving, been
policeman, was also gentleman.
That samo afternoon he received tFo call
ers. 'E's> f&,.rafst =
- The first to como was tho detective.
: Our hero had but just timo to ttrclptc the
strange incidents Of the morning, when
second gentleman was shown into his room.
! The latter was a foreigner with peculiar
cast Of countenance
llc brought q letter from the French con.
sui, ,saj
His business was quickly made known
llc camc as the bearer Of challenge
from one Monsieur Hamud, who had been
grossly insultod ass'stI
The letter from the French consul was
merely certificate to the effect that Capt.
Adoma was gentleman, and entitled to
rcoognizanoe as such.
The interview was brief, and distin-
guishcd by those mock courtesies icharao-
,tcris,ic ofsuch meetings MY
IN hour was set when an answer was to
be given to the mysterious Monsieur lla-,
mud, @ 81
r The detective undertook to make the
necessary inquiries concerning tho two men.
Although no could learn nothing further,
he was assured that no gentlcuan could
refuse to meet tho parties Of whom he was
seeking informatiop,s otherwise than as gen,
tlemcn. r
As Frank recognized tho code he saw no
reason to decline fighting, although satisfied
that tho quarrel had boon forced upon him
with purpose. lh " ~
At the hour named Walton Sprnguc met
Capt. Adcma, and listened to a proposition
to fight ono of the strangest dupls which
could possibly occur. q.r.,I |
In the first place it was stipulated that
the duel should take place at midnight.
The location was to bea point on the
Coney Island beach, midway between the
railroad terminus and Rockaway,
The contestats were each to be supplied
with pair of pistols, containing six chargcs
each, aud after the first shot, were to nd
vance and blaze away until every barrel OF
the four pistols should be ompticd, unless
one or the other should be killed lin the
meantime.
The reason stated for the choice Of time
and place, was that tho hour was one when
there would be 10 stragglers around
and the constant roll OF the surf would
dcaGon the report Of the quick discharges.
Another strange condition, was that all
proliminarcs should DO settled between the
seconds before the meeting on the ground
where tho ducI was to take place, and that
upon the arrival at the place ofmeetiDg, not
word was to bo allowed between either
principals or seconds. H|
Another condition was that no ono but the
principals and ono second each should know
aught of the affair, and no doctor or any
other party was to be present. h
Tho principals and seconds were to be
bouUd by solemn oaths not to Srcveal "cach
Others names, either before. Or after the
duel, under any circumstances whatever.
| Again. in case Of tho death Of other Of
tho principals, the body Of tho dead was I'd
be disposed Of tho presence of tho win
ming oido, by measures which were as fol-
| lows: .RA}
Tho challenging party wcro to have q
boat near by, provided with shot bags and
other articles of heavy weight; the dead
wos to be placed in a sack, and rowcd far
from shore, and with hoagy weights attached
sunk in tho ocean.
Another rcpulsivo and barbarous condi-