Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-02-05
WHOLE NUMBER, 4S9.


(Maurice) was now ON the ground to
fight the duel ON his fathers behalf,
attended by the Generals seconds, and
with the Generals full approval.
We instantly refused to allow tho
duel to take place, Romayne loudly de-
claring that he had no quarrel with tho
Geaerals son. Upon this, Maurice
broke away from his seconds, drew off
one of his gloves. and, stepping close
up to Romayne, struck him on the face
with the glove. Have you no quarrel
with mo now?" the young Frenchman
asked. Must l spit on you as my
father did?" His seconds dragged him
away, and apologized to us for the out
break. But the mischief was done.
Romayne's fiery temper flashed in his
eyes. " Load the pistols" he said.
After the insult publicly offered to him.
and the outrage publicly threatened,
there was no other course to take.
1t had been left to us to produce the
pistols. We therefore requested the
seconds of our opponent to examine and
to load them. While this was being
done, the advancing sea-foY so co..
pletely enveloped us that the dr. -'lS'S
were unable to see o..on other. we were
Obliged to VIZ for the chance of par
tial cleo ing in the atmosphere. Ro-
mov,-e's temper had become calm again.
T,le generosity of his nature spoke in
the words which he now addressed to
his seconds.
"After ALL" he said, "the young
man is good son-he is bent on re-
dressing what he believes to be his
fathers wrong. Does his Tipping his
glove in my face matter to me? 1 think
I shall fire in the air."
"I shall refuse to act as your second
if you do," answered the French gentle
man who was assisting us. "The
Generals son is famous for his skill
with the pistol. If you didn't see it in
his face just now, / did --he means to
kill you. Defend your life, sir !"
spoke quite as strongly to the same
purpose when my turn came. Romayne
yielded-he placed himself unreserv-
edly in our halds.
In quarter of an hour the fog lifted
a little. We measured the distance.
having previously arranged lat my sug-
gestion) that the two men should both
fire at the same moment, at given sig
nal. Romayne's composure, as they
faced each other, was, in man of his
irritable nervous temperament, really
wonderful. Iplaced him sideways, in
position which in some degree lessened
his danger, by lessening the surface ex-
posed to the bullet. My French col
league put the pistol into his hand, and
gave him the last word of advice: "Let
your arm hang loosely down, with the
barrel of the pistol pointing straight to
the ground. When you hear the signal
only lift your arm as far as the elbow
keep the elbow pressed against your
side-and fire. We could do no more
for him. As we drew aside-I own it
my tongue was like cinder in my
mouth, and hoirid inner cold crept
through me to the marrow of my bones.
The signal was given, and the two
shots were fired at the same time.
My first look was at Romayne. He
took off his hat and handed it to me
with smile. His adversary's bullet
had cut piece out of the brim of his
hat, on the right side. He had literally
escaped by hair breadth.
While was congratulating him, the
fog gathered again more thickly than
ever. Looking anxiously toward the
ground occupied by our adversaries, we
could only see vague, shadowy forms,
hurrit tdly crossing and recrossing each
other in the mist. Something had hap
pened. Ny French colleague took my
arm and pressed it significantly. "Leave
me to inquire" he said. Romayne tried
to follow; 1 held him back we neither
of us exchanged word.
The fog thickened and thickened, un-
til nothing was to be seen. Once we
heard the surgeons voice calling impa-
tiently for light to help him. No
light appeared as We could see. Dreary
as the fog itself, the silence gathered
around us again. On sudden it was
broken by another voice, strange to
both of us, shrieking Historically
through the impenetrable mist. "Where
is he?" the voice cried, in tho French
language. "Assassin assassin where
are you?" Was it woman, or was it
boy? We heard nothing more. The
effect on Romayne was terrible to see.
He who had calmly confronted the wea.
pom lifted to kill him, shuddered dumb
ly like terror-stricken animal. 1 put
my arm round him and hurried him
away from the place.
We waited at the hotel until our
French friend 'oinci us. After brieii
interval he appeared, announcing that
the surgeon would follow him.
The duel had ended fatally. The
chance course of the bullet, urged by
Romayne's Impractical hand, had struck
oh tl.A .s..l,f