The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-11-04

n'.;' '~" NUMBER 10.
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time he appeared lost in thought, he
suddenly looked up and asked
Carl -, are you friend to me A"
Certainly, Barton, I replied; "but
why do you ask?
I" have favor-a very great favor
to ask Of you. You are the only one I
have been on anything like intimate
terms with since I have been here. and
yet I hardly think our acquaintance has
been OF sufficient length to justify me- in
expecting the favor I am about to. So
icit." 49,.
.":Anything I can possibly do for you
will be done cheerfully, Barton" I re-
piled, anxious to know what it was he
wished me to do.
Again he was silent for a brief time.
At length he spoke:
carl, I am to fight duel this even.
ing"
The devil you are !" I exclaimed.
springing up from my chair.
Yes, he replied, "this evening at 5
o'clock
"With whom ?" asked, having some
what recovered from the astonishment
his words had caused.
with Oscar Phelps. The arrange
ments are all made between us. We
are to fight in the cedar grove Just be-
yond the college grounds, with pistols
at ten PAGES distance. What I want is
tor you to act as my second. Will you
But, Barton" asked, "have you
thought Of what the consequences may
be? I have heard that Phel ps is q dead
shot with pistol"
I have thought of everything" he
replied. "You will be surprised. Carl.
when I tell you I came here to hunt this
man. Oscar Phelps he calls himself,
but that is not his real name what his
name is, no matter. For two years 1
have been seeking him, and only acci-
dentally found that he was here under
al assumed name. He has wronged me
SO deeply that only his life can atone
tor the injury. My name is not Leslie
Barton, and I am not what I seem. I
might tell you the story of my life, but
it would do no good, and it better rest
untold. Phelps has no idea that I am
the one whom he so foully wronged in the
years gone by, and I have no wish that
he should know it. One of us, perhaps
both, may fall !; for, as you say, Phelps
is good shot, but he has none the ad-
vantage OF me in that respect"
"Now, Carl, knowing what you do.
will you act as my second in this affair :?
Ii you refuse, I must fight without one."
What could I do? Leave this friend
less boy to fight that man, without
single friend near to see fair play? It
was against my nature, and I did what I
think most boys of my age would have
done under similar circumstances-I
agreed to act for him.
"Thank you, Carl" he said. taking
my hand. eff you are ever placed in q
position like this, hope you may find
friend as true. I have only one request
to make should I fall, have me buried
in the cedar grove where the fight will
take place, and in the same clothes am
then wearing. You will find sufficient
money in the hands of the President of
the college to defray all expenses. 1
deposited it with him when | paid my
tuition"
And with that he again pressed my
hand, and left the room.
At twenty minutes to five, arrived
at the grove and found Leslie Barton
already there, walking back and forth
beneath the tall cedars, whose thick
boughs were so closely interviewer as to
almost entirely exclude the rays of the
setting sun.
AS approached, I noticed that lie
had discarded the college uniform, and
was dressed in a neatly-ftting suit of
black broadcloth. and wore upon his
head narrow brimmed white hat. He
did not observe me until I was quite
close to him, and then, glancing up with
smile, he said:
You arc the prince Of punctuality."
Phelps has not arrived yet?' 1
asked, looking around.
"No; but he will be on time," he re-
piled. II never heard of his being late
on IN occasion like the present"
'Then this is not his first?" I asked,
in surprise.
"No; Oscar Phelps has made more
than one vacant chair in what, but for
him, would now be happy homes"
"What kind of pistols will You use p
Iasked.
He stepped to the foot of large tree,
and picked up black ebony case, which
[ found, upon opening, to contain pair
OF gold-mo.lnted pistols, the finest I had
ever seen. They were Colts latest
improved patent, 38 caliber. Such
weapon in the hands o. one skilled in
its use would easily kill man at forty
yards, and they were to fight at ten
PAGES. shuddered.
They are coming" said Barton, in
terrupting me in my examination of the
pistols.
Hooked in the direction indicated by
him, and saw Phelps, accompanied by
cadet named Mumfee, with whom I
had but very slight acquaintance.
They raised their caps politely as they
came up; Barton acknowledged the
presence of Mumfee with naughty sa-
lutte, but did not deign to notice Phelps.
eve are on time, I presumed" said
Mumfee, looking at his watch.
eyes," I replied, "and have several
minutes to spare before the time ap-
pointed"
"Then let me see you moment" he
said. And we walked apart from the
others.
"Do you know how this trouble orig
inated?" he asked, when we were out
of hearing.
"No, 1 replied; "don't you? My
principal did not consider it necessary
to tell me-"
"Just the case with mine. I say, this
is going to be bad business for US, I'm
afraid. They say Phelps is a sure shot. :"
eyes, and, from what 1 can learn,
Barton is no Indifferent hand with a pis-
tol."
"I presume those are the weapons to
l. 10 co;l >>o,~A:,>c. - A. oo.o T