The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-10-08

Phelps friendship than his enmity."
Months passed, and it was drawing
near the close of the term. had never
heard Leslie Barton and Oscar Phelps
exchange a word since the occasion pre-
viously mentioned. They seemed to
avoid each other by mutual consent, and,
though had been unable to fathom the
mystery that l was satisfied connected
these two, yet hoped that they would
separate at the end of the term without
having had any trouble with each other.
But / was disappointed, as the sequel
will show.
One Saturday, just before the COM
mencement, Leslie Barton met me as L
was on my way to my room, and asked
me if we could have a few minutes pri-
vate conversation together. L 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 an intrusion, we seated
ourselves, and l waited impatently to
hear what his business was.
After a few moments, during which
time he appeared lost in thought, he
suddenly looked up and asked:
"Carl -, are you friend to me?"
Certainly, Barton" 1 replied; "but
why do you ask ?"
81 have favor-a very great favor
to ask of you. You are the only one L
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 in
expecting the favor L am about to So
hcit."
Anything 1 can possibly do for you
will be done cheerfully, Barton" 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 duel this even
ing"
"The devil you are " exclaimed,
springing up from my chair.
EYES," he replied, this evening at 5
o'clock"
"With whom ?" 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 in the cedar grove just be-
yond 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, shave you
thought of what the consequences may
be L have heard that Phelps is dead
shot with 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 L
have been seeking him, and only acct
dentally found that he was here under
an assumed name. He has wronged me
so deeply that only his life can atone
for the injury. My name is not Leslie
Barton, and 1 am not what L seem. L
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 foully wronged 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 in that respect"
"Now, Carl, knowing what you do,
will you act as my second in this affair :?
If you refuse, L must fight without one. +"
What could 1 do? Leave this friend
less boy to fight that man, without a
single friend near to see fair play? 1t
was against my nature, and did what /
think most boys of my age would have
done under similar circumstances
agreed to act for him.
"Thank you, Carl" he said, taking
!. my hand. eff you are ever placed in n
position like this, hope you may find a
friend as true. / have only one request
to make should l 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 in the hands of the President OF
the college to defray all expenses. /
deposited it with him when l 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 l approached, / noticed that he
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 1 was quite
close to him, and then, glancing up with
a smile, he said:
"You are the prince of punctuality. :
Phelps has not arrived yetY
asked, looking around.
"No; but he will be on time" he re-
piled. 81 never heard of his being late
on an occasion like the present.
"Then this is not his first ?" L 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,
opJ ,,inlr.J mn a blacl, abonv cosp which