The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-05-01

ClairvaI has cleared You of the charge
of smuggling. but has acknowledged that
you are his amei''
"What!" she franticaly exclaimed,
has the Marquis been here?'
lie is here still, Milauetta."
'.What, here? here in your power ?
Oh! spare him, my Lord, spare him. 1t
is | only who have deserved your ven
geance-death is my portion; but for
( him"
Yes, scornful girl! death for you!
/ He has asked for mercy for you-he has
come to ask me to place you again in his
arms; but | will give you to the exeeu
TONER, and your lover shall witness"
The Marquis flung open the door with
violence. J had quite forgotten that he
was there, aud he had' heard every word
| spoke. AT his appearance Milanetta
uttered one despairing shrek, while /
| looked at them both vindictively. He
beckoned me aside. and said with low
voice: My Lord Count, you are gem
tleman by birth, but you have disgraced
your name and rank. Among people Of
our station the sword is the only arbiter,
and the injuries of jealousy or love are
settled by that appeal. 1t is not by
hanging Milanetta that you should re
venge yourself when you have the OPP
portunity as a gentleman OF lighting
me.
"What! Would you accept a chaI-
lenge?"
"This very instant"
"But you know the strict laws against
dueling, and the rigorous strictness with
which both Kings exact the penalty?'
Il know very well that both in France
and Spain the duelist is punished by the
! forfeiture of his estates; that his shield is
| defaced and his coat of arms burned,
and that if he is killed he is beheaded;
but hate you now as strongly as you
can hate me and to hold my swords
point to your heart would face every
peril and every disgracel"
ITO morrow, then, at day break, | will
be at Venasque with second"
BE it so. And now sign Milanetta's
pardon"
Her pardon"
at is the first and only condition of
our meeting"
signed it and handed it to MilanetIa,
who refused to take it.
"What will it avail me-" said she,
''when my father knows the secret of my
nocturnal journey? When he questions
me what answer can | give him? If
tell him the truth he will kill me on the
spot"
xiii you, Milanetta?"
'He is only a smuggler or bandit in
your eyes; but this bandit is as jealous
of his daughters honor as any peer or
France or grandee Of Spain. He will
kill me, / tell you, and | would prefer
dying by the executioner's hand than
! his"
Next morning, before the sun rose, l
was at the very extremity of the Spanish
frontier, and the Marquis made his APP
pearanoe almost as soon. He had brought
his second, but | had forgotten to bring
one. A man on horseback was passing
within few PAGES of us. | called to him
and asked him if he would become my
second in duel.
He Immediately dismOunted, measur-
ed 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, separated US, enjoined us to desist,
and threatened to arrest us if we renewed
the combat. Milanetta had informed
them Of our intentions. | perceived the
rage and modification of the Marquis
at this interruption, but ] told them that
We could laugh at their Inference, and
| fight before their faces without their hav-
ing the power to interfere"
1.-The frontier of France and Spain is
MARKED by that Cross. You, who are
Frenchman, cross into Spain, while l
step into France. We can then cross our
blades, with our feet touching the from
tier 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
a Spaniard on Spanish soil cannot be
reached Ivy the faw, for the King Of
Spain has no more power over you than
the King of France has over NE, and
neither would violate the laws of nations
by arresting their subjects on a foreign
tertiary
With one bound | stood upon the ter
ritory of France, while the Marquis re
the guards: "Back, marshalmen of
France, you have no authority over q
noble Of Spain" "Away. holy brother
hood Of Spain, keep your hands off a
gentleman Of Franee''
The soldiers fell back amazed and ir-
resolute, while we stood and fought in
the narrow pass, where there was not
room for more than a man to stand
Our swords had hardly recrossed when
the Marquis fell, pierced to the heart.
rushed forward to support hin,, when my
| second, holding me In his iron grasp,
shouted; "Stop where you are! One foot
forward and death stares you in the
face, and that upon the scofold'" His
words were Interrupted by shrek and
we saw Miianetta fling herself upon the
dead body, uttering the most passionate
EXPLANATIONS of agony and tenderness.
Ny second gnash ed MS teeth when he
saw and heard her. He rushed to her
and tore her roughly from the body
which she embraced. She uttered a
heart piercing shrek, and falling on her
knees and clasping her hands, she ex-
claimed;
Forgive me, father, forgive mel"
'Dishoneredl" answered he, with a
gloomy voice. 'fThen die with him!"
and with one blow of his knife he laid
her lifeless at his feet. 4hen lifting up
her body he flung it to me saying, "She
! who dies in her shame is not worthy of
finding a grave in her country; the soil
of Spain rejects the body of Milanetta,
who gave herself up to Frenchman."
The guards of the holy brotherhood
surrounded 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
smy daughter. You have outlawed the