The Morning herald., 1877-10-11
..19aEILNoo]

ayouder, in the dell i" suggested one Of
h;S friends: and the dell was considered to
hs l' the very best of all known places for
rlch piece Of work, and the suggestion
"'I Garald Camelford volunteered to procure
r;stols from his own house, which was
lrcarcelv half mile from the spot on which
these preliminaries of . deadly fray were
now being arranged, and with more cool.
n,ss than these same men would have
thought to their preparations for a feast.
When Young Camelford had departed on
q errand, the others set forth, and pro-
cevded briskly on their way towards the
3sll, to reach which they had but a short
distance to traverse; SO that it could be
only their impatience for the encounter. or
IA nreyent their blood from stagnating in
the cold Of that frosty night, which caused
them thus to hurry forward.
Arthur Gresham alone walked slowly, and
soon we're the others considerably in ad.
vance of him; and then Albert Marsden
stopped for moment in his walk to turn
, and call out, loudly -..
care you sure Mr.. Gresham, that if left
+ to your own guidance, you will not mistake
your way to the dell?"
Arthur replied not to this last insult; it
| few past him and touched hin not; indeed,
/ he scarcely heard the words or understood
their covert meaning, he was now so thor
oughly absorbed with thoughts Of his poor
| RJsalle.
Should he fall in this encounter. which it
was impossible that he had ever done aught
! to provoke, what, then. would be the fate Of
his poor young wifep
What would become of her, and of the in
nocent, helpless child Of which she soon
would be the mother.
Left to the tender mercies Of Sir Jonas
Rthborne and his niece, with no husband,
! no father living to shelter them, what
would be the fate of mother and child
And this duel, so suddenly forced upon
him--so unavoidable nowY Oh Was Heaven
about to punish him that he had made of
Ros;llle disobedlent daughter? But no!
Heaven would have pity On her. II hot on
him!
1t was impossible that, ere rushing to
this encounter. he should again behold his
wife; he could not even write to her. More
than the bitterness OF death was in the
thought that he perhaps was fated never
more on earth to behold his darling Rosalie
was not to be permitted once to look up
on, nor hold within his arius the chlld of
her bosom.
But these thoughts caused him to trem.
bic, and must, if possible, be shaken aside;
30 he quickened his steps, aud strobe On.
wards towards the dell.
As he reached it, Albert Marsden said in.
solently to him:
at is really your We had begun to fear
That, instead Of to this place. you had taken
the road towards tho dwelling VI Sir jonas
Rathborne!"
That observation produced. apparently.
20 effect on Gresham; and his antagonist
Sas amazed at the coolness-thY cahu. rsso-
lutte t courage that he beheld.
The refulgent moon brilliantly illuninat-
with its cold, blue light every tree and
"mp which grew around the dell. in the
centre Of which Albert and his friends were
70" grouped; while Arthur Gresham leaned
AAghtfully against a tree, some PAGES dis
1aht from these men, who seemed, all Of
mem, to be his foes, and to be anxious for
hls death.
30 at least, Arthur believed; but he was
Iohs' They cared little one way or the
P'uef; put, OF the two, would perhaps have
Pre1erred that there should bs nv duel at
Snow was thickly spread on ground and
Vusn' s covered every bough and bramble;
M 1 PARTICLES Of snow were sparkling. here
au tnere, In the pale moonlight. with ever
alyihg coruscAtions.
lark what is that?" suddenly ex-
alned one Of the party.
An listened; and the rapid "click -clack-
.h'clack OF a horses hoofs upon the
4Iy' lrost- bound road was distinctly heard
'D 1.'e sound, at first faint and distant, be.
n'us I. every instant louder and nearer.
NV =. %as Gerald CameFord, who. returning
no' on foot, as he had gone, but we'll
,oellled on one Of his best steeds, and at
/, fastest trot-was eager to arrive with
t"eapons necessary for that yestle'.a''ly
n"y "sDey which nothing now would have
power to avert.
uetad Camelford soon arrived near the
1,v, pO' where he was awaited, dismounted, Sc
,eu MS horse to the branch of u tree, and
e,cended into the dell.
Ai'llur Gresham was asked if he would
bos ouse a second from amongst the men
ere ere assembled.
h n., mnom they pleased" he said. calmly;
/ ~ Mdttered not tr, him -
or1 Jne was chosen for him: Gerald Camel
is t.; was, as will have been surmised, with
Us ST friend Marsden.
raaI e ground was measured out; Arthur
\, ,sS'lam' jill still leaning against a'tree. seem.
h. ~ tIhleohscleus OF all that was proceeding
o.l Inese might be his last moments upon
4 h;a 'ia' ana he was devoting them t., thoughts
E,in H1' poor young wife-of his darling Ko.
linn m'enars i i, second advanced, and offered
l y a, " cnolce OF pistols. He aroused himself |
" iHOment, grasped on, of tho ,vea mons