The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1878-05-24
Select Story.
A LETTER AND A DUEL.

A LIZ lIER AND A DIEL.
1t was just year since Harry Egmon
had brought home his bride. She was
celebrated beauty she had been a grea
belle, perhaps somewhat of flirt. Al
though Harry knew that Lucille ha'
married him from the purest affection
he could never wholly rid himself of tn,
demon jealousy; it haunted him perpet
ually, causing him to imagine that ever,
other man was in love with his wife
which was no wonder, perhaps, consid
ering how handsome she was. Lucille
did all in her power to make her hus
band happy, but, having no idea how
strong his feeling in the matter was
sometimes unconsciously gave grounC
for suspicion by her conduct.
"How many times has Danford beer
here this week, Lucille2' asked Mr. Eg
mont one evening, coming in with {
rather clouded brow-for he had me
the obnoxious visitor at the gate.
Three times, / think" said Lucille
hardly turning from the piano at which
she had been seated. why do you
ask"
"Oh, for no reason only do moi
fancy the man much, and 1 wondered
how you could like him so we'll"
Lucille looked around, now fairly
aroused.
81 don't like him particularly" she
said. "but he has such an excellent voice
1 do enjoy practicing duets with him
Harry, dear, if You don't fancy him, ]
won't allow him to come here any more.
As she spoke, she left the piano, and
came to her husbands side, putting out
her hand kindly.
II am brute :" exclaimed Harry, re
turning her caresses. "Have whoever
you please to sing with you; l ought
not to interfere.
"Yes, surely you ought, dear, if you
think L am the least imprudent in my
choice of friends. Do you really dislike
Mr. Danforth?"
ayes, 1 do, Lucy. might as well own
it; he impresses me disagreeably more
than that, 1 haye heard today that he
has had one or two disgraceful affairs
with married women; SO you can imag-
inc 1 was not very well pleased when 1
met him at the gate"
A deep flush rose to Mrs Egmont's
handsome face as her husband spoke.
"Mr Danforth shall not come here any
more, if that is his character" she said,
decidedly.
"But there is no need of quarreling
with him."
"Oh, no; he will simply find me not
at home when he calls He will soon
understand"
Mr. Egmont, however, advised moth
ing rash or so pointed as to make an
enemy of the man and, after some con-
sultation, a gradual withdrawal of favor
was decided upon. rather than an ab-
rupt dismissal.
By contriving to be really out at the
hours during which Mr. Danford gener
ally called, Mrs Egmont avoided seeing
him for several days, and fancied that
the matter was quite settled. She was
soon to learn that this man was not to be
so easily dropped. One afternoon, how
ever, he succeeded in being admitted to
her presence.
"Mrs Egmont," he demanded, "have
you avoided me purposely?"
Certainly not, Mr. Danforth-why
should II"
because love you Oh, Lucille, it is
useless for me to keep silent any longer.
/ love you madly passionately!' and he
threw himself on his knees before her.
"Mr Danforth !" cried Lucille. starting
up in indignation. show dare you so in
suit me Leave my house this Instant '
He rose to his feet and confronted her.
She, with her whole frame quivering
with anger, her beautiful eyes flashing,
and he looking at her with wilder ad
miratiom than he had ever before felt
ON, listen to mel" he pleaded; "do
not reject me so wholly | will be pa
tent; 1 will not frighten you again :;
only let me have little of your regard
you know there is more sympathy be-
tween us than between you and your
cold -blooded husband"
"Mr Danforthw exclaimed Lucille,
grand in her oyermastering wrath, "if
you do not instantly relieve me from
your insulting presence, l will call the
servants and have you turned out"
Think moment, Lucy" he said; "it
is not well to make an enemy of me-"
"Will you go, sir, or must I ring," was
her only reply.
II will 60" he answered, taking his
hat: "but, Mrs Egmont, will be re
venged for this treatment"
Without waiting for reply he left
the room, and Mrs Egmont sank into
the sofa, utterly overcome with the vio-
lence of her emotions. If her husband
had come in then, she would probably
have thrown herself into his arms, and
told him all the story of her insult and
her anger, her first feeling was so clearly
one of intense longing for his sympa
thies and protection. But as the time
went by cooler reflections arose; why
should she tell him? 1t would only make
him wretched; perhaps even lead to
violence. At this new thought, she re
solved to keep silence on what had hap
pened. 1t was surely wiser to guard
that as secret which would distress him
30 much. So when Mr. Egmont come
home his wife met him With her usual
smiles.
The immediate result of this was 8
necessity on which Lucille had not
counted. That very evening she and
her husband met Danforth at the house
of mutual friend. Her first thought
was of intense horror, and that it was
n
impossible that she could meet him al
usual; then occurred the reflection tha
she had no apparent reason for doinl
otherwise, and, as he saluted her and hel
husband with his ordinary manner, she
responded, but with so much confusion
and such heightened color as attracted
the attention of Mr. Egmont and other
in the room.
This little incident settled the footing
upon which she and Mr. Danforth wert
henceforth to meet. Lucille bitteri,
resented the insult she had received, anc
never saw the man without an angr,
flush but she continued to exchange
ordinary eivilities with him. In weel
or two they met at large party. In th'
crush, Mr. Danforth approached Mrs Eg