The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-10-27

has just informed you,' replied "pnd
that is all / know of him."
Know where he's from?'
ono"
at strikes me have met him some
where before, but curse me if ! can re-
collect where it was. Well, no matter.
| I'll learn him before he leaves this
school that it is better to have Oscar
Phelps friendship than ms cnmity."
Months passed, and it was drawing
near the close of the term. | had never
| heard Leslie Barton and Oscar Phelps
exchange II word since the occasion pre-
viously mentioned. They seemed to
avoid elch other by mutual consent, and,
| though had been unable to futhOm the
mystery that | was satisfied connected
these two, yet hoped that they would
separate at the end of the term without
having hnd any trouble with each other
But | was disappointed, as the sequel
will show.
One Saturday, just before the com,
mcnccmcnt, Leslie Barton met me us |
was on my way to my room, and asked
me if we could have Il few minutes pri-
vate conversation together. replied
in the affirmative, and invited HIM to
accompany me to my room, secretly
wondering what he could want Of me-
After locking the door to preclude the
possibility of All intrusion, we seated
ourselves, and | waited impaticntly to
| hear Whut his buSinpSS WAS
After Il few moments, during which
time he appeared lost in thought, he
suddenly looked up and asked
"Carl --, are you friend to me? y"
Certainly, Barton" | replied; " but
why do you ask ?"
81 have n favor--a very great favor
| to ask of You. You are the only one |
have been on anything like intimate
terms with since | have been here, and
yet hardly think our acquaintance has
been Of sufficient length to justify me i'll
expecting the favor | am about to 30
icit."
Anything | can possibly do for you
will be done cheerfully, Barton" l 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, am to fight due. this even
ing"
"The devil you are " / exclaimed,
springing up from my chair.
Yes" he replied, "this evening at 5
o'clock"
with whom ?" L asked, having some
what recovered from the establishment
his words had caused.
"With Oscar Phelps. The arrange
ments are all made between us. We
are to fight i'll the cedar grove just be-
You'd the college grounds, with pistols
at ten PAGES distance. What | want is
for you to act as my second. Will you
do it,"
"But, Barton" / asked, "have you
thought of what the consequences may
be? | have heard that Phelps is a dead
shot with II pistol"
81 have thought of everything" he
replied. "You will be surprised, Carl
when | tell you 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 |
have been seeking him, and only acct
dcntally found that he was here under
IN assumed name. lie has wrougcd me
so deeply that only his life can atone
for the injury. My name is not Leslie
Barton, and nm not what | seem.
might tell you the story of my life, but
it would do no good, and it better rest
| untold. Phelps has no idea that | am
the one whom he SO foulIy wrongcd IN the
years gone by, and ! 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 adj
vantage OF me III that respect
Now, Carl, knowing what you do,
will YOU act as my second i'll this affair?
II you refuse, must fight without one. W
What could do? Leave this friend
less boy to fight that man, without u
single friend near to see fair play? II
was against my nature, and did what |
thini, most boys Of my age would have
done Iinder similar circumstances
| agreed to act for him.
Thank you, Carl" he said, taking
my hand. "lf You are ever placed in II
position like this, | hope you may find "a
friend us true. ] have only one request
to make; should | fall, have me buried
in the cedar grove where the fight will
take place. ana in the same clothes am
then wearing. You will find sufficient
money i'll the hands of the President Of
the college to dciray all expenses. |
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 us to
almost entirely exclude the rays OF the
setting sun.
As | approached, | noticed that he
had discarded the college uniform, and
WAS dressed in neatly-iitting suit OF
black broadcloth. and wore upon his
head narrow brimmed white hat. lie
did not observe me until | was quite
close to him, and then, glancing up Will
a smile, he said:
"You are the prince OF punctuallty.
Phelps has not arrived yety
asked, looking around.
"No; but he will he on tine" he re
piled. 81 never heard of hiJ being late
on an occasion like the present"
"Then this is not his first ?" asked
in surprise.
"No; Oscar Phelps has made mor'
than one vacant chair in what, but TO
him, would now be happy homes"
" What kind of pistols will you use?
Iasked.
He stepped to the foot of large tree
and picked up black ebony case, whlcl
| found, upon opening, to contain a pal
of goldmounted pistols, the finest ha'
ever seen. They were Colts latest
,,x,,,.,.,1 SnRl