The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-11-08


himself. This worthy was young man,
aged about %, and dressed in the very
extreme of fashion. His ruffies were
immaculate, and most symetrically ar
ranged; his lace handkerchief was stepped
in essences; his gloves, which lay on the
table-for he had only just returned, at
IIaroquire's request, from the opera
were small and delicate; his fingers were
covered with valuable rings, and the
bunch of gold seals depending from his
fob was unusually heavy and brilliant
He did not strike me as appearing par
ticularly war-like; but nevertheless, after
formally saluting me, he at once touched
upon the subject of my visit; and, before
had been ten minutes in his company,
had arranged to meet Ferrand and my,
self at certain spot, dear to duelists OF
the time, at an early hour next morning,
and to bring Laroquire with him.
81 don't think we shall need sur
geon," he said to me, affably, at parting;
"but, if you please, you can bring one.
In his last affair, my principal shot his
man through the temples, and he died
Immediately. l sincerely hope, Mon
seur, that your friend is as clever"
"Confound the fellow!" I said to my
self, as l left the house, and sought the
residence of my own medical man. 81
am afraid poor Ferrand is not such a
consummate murderer as Laroquiere."
After seeing the surgeon, to whom L
briefly explained matters, | called upon
Mrs. Rae. She was doing her best to
comfort her daughter, who was in the
greate.t possible distress. care they
going to fight?" she asked ME.
"NIy dear Alice" 1 said, "they are. l
have done my best to dissuade Paul but
he saws, and I am obliged to agree, that
he must fgh5. Let us hope for the best.
He has a sure eye and a steady hand,
and he has right on his side. The other
man is scoundrel. And you must re-
member that poor Paul is not an Eng
lishman. If l were he, would not fight,
but, as it is, the matter cannot be over
looked, and indeed everything is ar
ranged"
"You are to be with him ?" said Mrs.
Rae, looking as white as sheet.
eyes; they are to meet tomorrow
morning, and by breakfast-time A'ice's
suspense will be over. She must lear
"You must prevent the duel sobbed
the half heart-broken girl. Cannot
Paul let the insult pass? But no; it
was so public"
"You can only hope" l said. II will
see you in the morning; but now | must
60 back to him, and see that he gets some
Sleep"
killed l shall die. Come here directly it
is over. Come, even if he falls; you
must tell me about it, I must hear
everything" She buried her face in her
hands; and I, escaping from the unhappy
girl, hurried to Paul.
lie was still writing, and his hair was
in disorder, and his face pale when he
turned toward me. 81 am no coward, he
said, "but l am saying goodbye to her,
for shall die tomorrow.
"N1y dear fellow" l exclaimed, "you
will shoot Laroquiere, and be married
next month. You must finish your writ
ing at once and go to bed. I will sleep
here tonight, for must see that you
turn out in time tomorrow morning.
He wrote for another half-hour, ad-
dressed the document to Alice Rae,
placed lock of his hair within it, and,
after sealing it up, gave it TO me.
"Give that to her." he said, "if Laro-
quiere kills me outright-and know he
will. If it were not for Alice, I declare
that l should be quite glad to meet him.
Now for bed"
He undressed, while l lay down on the
sofa in the next room and lit cigar, for
/ could not afford to sleep myself. Soon
all was quiet, and ] stole in to see Paul
lying as quiet as child, with smile on
his face. Probably, nay, assuredly, l
passed more uncomfortable night than
he did. Only with the greatest possible
difficulty could l keep awake, and the
hours seemed to linger for ever. Atlast,
however, daybreak dawned, and I called
Ferrand, who woke refreshed and in
comparatively good spirits. After hur-
ried breakfast we mutfied ourselves up;
l placed flask of brandy, some powder
and bullets and a brace of pistols in my
pocket, 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 tor
mile or so, until we reached the meeting
place.
Laroquiere and Delarale were there
before us, and my friend the surgeon,
arrived Immediately afterwards 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 distance of twenty
PAGES from each other, and waited for
Delarale to give the signal to fire.
''Stayw cried the bully, as his second
stepped back; "let the young hound
listen to this. l am not triaing with
him. shall shoot him only where he
wishes, for am generous, pnrble~ !"
eff do not kill you," said Paul, qui-
etly, 81 prefer to die" .
"Thcn I shoot him through the heart" !"
coolly observed Laroquiere. "It will
teach others not to challenge me-"
There was something to me unspeaka-
bly, 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 Delarale
gave the signal.
There was but one report, for Ferrand's
pistol flashed in the pan. The poor fel-
low turned round toward me with fixed
eye and pale face, and, with the name of
Alice on his lips, fell dead. Laroquiere
turned on his heel and departed quickly
in company with Dclarale, while aided
the surgeon in his brief examination 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 melan.
choly business in every respect. | had
to break the sad news to Alice and her