The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-07-18
truth he will kill me on the spot.
s.KiIl vou Miianeft4S"

truth he will kill me on the spot"
kill You, Miianettas"
ale il oniy smuggler or bandit in
vour ewes: but this bandit is rs Jealous OF
his daughters honor as any peer OF France
or prandee of Spain. He would kill me. l
tell YOU, and would prefer dying by The
executioner's hand than by his.
Next morning, before the sun rose, L
was at the very extremity Of the Spanish
frontier, and the Marquis made his ap-
pearance almost as soon. He brought his
second, but had forgotten to bring one.
A man on horseback was passing within q
few PAGES of US. / called to him and ask
ed him il he would become my second in a
duel.
He Immediately dismounted, measured
our swords like . person accustomed to the
business, and offered me his own as better
tempered than mine. We had scarcely
crossed our blades when the French and
Spanish guards came running up. separa-
ted US, e0joined US to desist, and threaten
ed to arrest US il We renewed the combat.
Milanetta had informed them of our inten-
TONS perceived the rage and mortifica-
ton of the Marquis at this interruption,
but / told him that we could laugh at their
interference, and fight before their faces
without their having the power to inter-
fere
The frontier OF France and Spain is
marked by that cross. You. who are a
Frenchman, cross into Spain, while step
into France. We can then cross our blades,
with our feet touching the frontier line,
which we can keep between our bodies and
our swords. The Spaniard who fights a
Frenchman on French ground, and the
Frenchman who meets Spaniard on the
Spanish soil can not be reached by the
lsw, for the King Of Spain has no more
power over you than the King Of France
has over me, and neither would violate the
laws Of nations by azresting their subjects
on a foreign territory"
With one bound / stood upon the terri
tory OF France, while the Marquis remained
in Spain, and we both called to the guards:
Back, marshalmen Of France, you have no
authority over a noble Of Spain" Away,
holy brotherhood Of Spain, keep your hands
OF gentleman Of France"
The soldiers fell back amazed and iIresO-
lutte, while we stood and fought in tho mar
row pass where there was not room for
more than a man to stand. Onr svOrds
had hardly recrOssed when the Marquis
fell, pierced to the heart. / rushed for
ward to support him, when my second,
holding me in his iron grasp, shouted:
Stop where you are! One foot forward
and death stares you in the face, AMI that
upOn the scaifOld!" His words reinter-
rupted by q shrek, and we saw Milnetta
fling herself upon the dead body, utering
the most passionate EXPLANATIONS of RgOny
and tenderness. My second CRASHED his
teeth when he saw and heard hea He
rushed to her and tore her roughly from
the body which she embraced. Shehtter-
ed heart -piercing shrek, and, falling on
her knees and clasping her hands, she ex-
claimed:
Forgive me, father, forgive mel"
-DishOnOred!" answered he, with n
gloomy voice. Then die with hint and
with one blow Of his knife he laid her life
less at his feet. Then lifting up her body
he flung it to me, saying, She who dis in
her shame is not worthy Of finding grave
in her country; the soil of Spain rcfcts
the body Of Millanetta, who gave herself
up to Frenchman."
The guards Of the holy brotherhood sur
rounded the smuggler, who threw his knife
away and held out his hands to them.
Bind me" said he, Il am the leader Of
the smugglers-yOu can hang me at once
for smuggling, but not for killing my
daughter. You have Outlawed the snug
gler, and therefore he takes justice into
his own hands"
My estate was confiscated, my escutch-
con disfigured, my castle burned, and a
price set upon my head; but heaven has
punished me In lengthening my existence
and prOtracting my sOrrOws. 1 have sur
vived this event fifty years, but my heart
is still young in recOllections and suffer
ings, and from that time have never trOd
upon the soil Of my country!