The Morning herald., 1877-10-10
CHAPTER III.
A DUEL IN THE SNOW.

DUEL IN THE SNOW.
It was some two or three weeks after the
| events detailed in our last chapter, and OF,
p brilliantly moonlight II ght, that Arthur
Gresham was walking. !'r exercise, as he
, had said, hurriedly back, srds and forwards
On the road which led pasb the mansion Of
Sir Jonas Rathborne.
Hurriedly, in tl3 first place, because the
, night was very ccld; there had been a
heavy fall Of snow, followed by intense frost,
| and roads and fields were firm and hard,
and the crisp snow cracked beneath his
feet at every step he trod.
And in the second place, hurriedly, be-
cause his thoughts were in tumult, and
his busy brain commanded that his limbs
should not be still and idle.
Those letters were still to Arthur Gresham
and his young wife, an unravelled mystery;
each day their situation was becoming
more distressing, more narrowing to them
both; the time was rapidly nearing when
Rosalie would become q mother, and the
secret Of their marriage was still undis-
closed, and Arthur was still without courage
to reveal it. Nothing further had occurred
that could cause them to believe they were
suspected; indeed everything went to
prove the contrary,
Of one thing now he took good care
never for moment to be alone with Mis-
tress Augusta Camelford.
Better that he and his young wife should
fly and conceal themselves for awhile from
Sir Jonas Rathborne's anger, was Arthur's
thoughts, for in her pres mt condition its
violent expression would kill poor, tender,
and delicate Rosalie; snd With her would
another life be sacrificed that other life
which she was bearing now within her own.
He knew not what to Go, nor on what to
resolve; for himself come what might; he
had no dread; it was for Rosale, his dear
young wife, he trembled.
Oh, that his good friend Clarence Hartley
were now beside him!
But the wish was vain; Clarence was far
away, and in all probability, would not ra-
turn in time to aid him.
What must he do-what must he do?
And as that desparing thought dashed
through his brain, he suddenly stood still
burst of laughter from several voices, at
that moment, rang out upon the still night
sir, repeated and multiplied by surrounding
echoes.
Gresham looked forward, and saw ap-
preaching. on the road before him, the
bright moonlight rendering every surround
ing objectas infinitely visible almost as in
the broadcast light Of day, band Of five Or
six, evidently young men, all well and fash
ionably dressed, and clearly, judging by
their boisterous tongues and somewhat un-
steady gait, all Of them considerably flush
ed with wine.
If Gresham had not been so greatly
absorbed with his distressing reflections, he
would long before have heard the laughter
of these tmen igrowing louder as they
neared him, and would have avoided them,
and the interruption to his thoughts, which
even moments contact with them would
be certain to produce, But now it was too
late for that; they were within few yards
of him, and consequences so fatal, that their
prognostication would have seemed like
madness, were to ensus from Arthur's
meeting with one, at least, Of this seeming
ly jovial party.
When Arthur Gresham had arrived face
to face with these men, who had been
much too freely indulging in an evenings
carousal, he sought to pass them quietly,
and without the exchange Of word; but
that was not to be, for these bacehanalians
formed themselves into :. line across the
road, and blocked the W. e to him, while
one of their party shouted forth ~,
"What lonely night-bm have we here r
Then continued, address 1g Arthur, Are
YOU an owl, or stray t, or hlghWay-
man on search for plum r p
"If the latter, pray have mercy on us,
and snare our lives p SAID another.
Come" added third "if you are q
gentleman say SO ?"
"And if YOU are nothing more than an
honest man, do not be ashamed to confess
it ?'' shouted again ths first who had
II am, hope, both an honest man and a
gentleman" Arthur good. d.humoredly said,
having no idea Of being offended with ut.
terances which were but the overhowlngs OF
the wine cup. Then, as pleasantly, he re-
ouested that they would suffer him to pass.
But at the first sound Of Arthur's voice,
one of these SO nearly inebrlated young
gentlemen had started, and then advanced
closely and rudely, and almost stumb mbled
against Gresham, who drew back step, his
anger little excited.
"Oho!' exclaimed this rough assailant'
who had not before spoken, 81 recognise
| this fellow" ,
Arthur now, in his turn, advanced, and
looked closely at the speaker, who cont'n-
| ued-
eyes, know him, to my cost!'
"And 1, too, recognise you, sir! said Ar
| thur, his voice qulvering with rage ne
was endeavoring to control, "and cannot un-
derstand the meaning Of this insult. .,
| sIhat does not matter to me, and shall
continue to insult you," said the other. ,
"Be advised, Mr.. Albert Marsden, and
| CIV no more" Gresham urged. 81 can have