The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1882-08-02
THE DUEL ABOUT MISS NlOGESE

Autumn comes 70 reap our SHtiFt>-
THE DUEL ABOUT MISS MOGEsE-
Miss Imogene De Forest was elgh-
teen years old, beauty and belle.
Girls Of all kinds, if they live, can
be eighteen years old; but to be a
beauty and belle needs q concur
renee of favorable circumstances.
In Miss Imogene these favorable cir
cumstances were of a decided order.
She had a lovely face, a graceful fig
ure, and she was the only child of
Hon. Lysander De Forest, an eX-
Governor, an ex-senator, and a prob
able foreign minister.
Beside, she had very respectable
private fortune, though young JET
ierson Duval and Captain Milton
Fontaine both averred that was the
very least point in her charms, and
not worthy to be named with her
dark ewes and her bewitching smile.
Girls of eighteen are not all wise,
and perhaps Miss Imogene believed
this; at anv rate she looked as if she
believed it; and both Duval and
Fontaine had many hours in which
they certainly firmly believed it.
When wandering in the moonlight
under the orange trees, or when
whirling through the waltz in some
splendid feast, they we're both quite
certain that nothing but Miss lmo-
genes personal loveliness entered
into their dreams concerning her.
Hitherto, though both pretenders
to Imogene's favor, they had pre-
served the semblance to friendship.
Duval rather wished to do so; 1t
gave him an honorable opportunity
of watching his rivals chances; and
Fontaine was OF that order of men
who liked a little opposition. He
intended at some favorable oppor
tunity to make a co1tp d etat and at
once and forever put poor Duval out
of the painful uncertainties of love.
For somehow he regarded his own
as certain, and if the conf
dent heart wins the fair lady, and
the faint one loses her, he had some
reason for his blissful security.
One lovely evening in the charm
ing May-for May is charming in
Central rexas-lmogene was slowly
riding across a prairie that was one
billowy sea of grass and flowers |
Duval was by her side, reciting By
ron in very touching manner |
Imogene had casually noticed that |
two horsemen had emerged from n
little wood, and were slowly follow
ing them; and she had also noticed /
that they had passed, at rather
closer quarters than she liked, a herd
Of cattle feeding. Whether the mag
bull leading them was irri
lated by Duval's floating scarlet
or by the poetry, or by mo-
lives beyond human comprehension,
is uncertain, but his anger was posi-
tive enough. Believing and tearing
up the ground, he came furiously af-
Ter the lovers. Poetry and sentiment
collapsed, and the first law OF ma
ture promptly asserted itself
Both put their horses to their ut
most speed, but the prospect was
not cheering. In fact, the question
was this: Would the bull or the
horses have the best of it in race
over two miles of open prairie?
He is gaining on US, Duval, and
am turning sick and faint. Oh,
what shall | do?"
Let US separate He cannot fol-
low both, and perhaps he will Sc
lect me-"
Suddenly the shouts of the men
behind attracted their attention.
Imogene glanced fearfully around.
The two horsemen she had noticed
were coming on at laundering
pace; and before she could check or
turn her horse, one Of them had
risen in his stirrups and thrown
lasso around the furious animal. 1t
was now evident that Governor De
Forest was one of these horsemen;
the other, who still held the rope,
was quite unknown both to Duval
and Imogene.
The Governor quickly dispatched
the bull with his rifle, and then, as
the herd were evidently growing un-
easy, the whole party rode rapidly
home. Thanks and introductions
were practically delayed, although
the stranger knew that no thanks
and no introduction would ever be
more satisfactory to him than the
glance and smile he had received in
the swiftest moment from lmogene.
Duval was very unhappy. He
wondered if he had behaved in a
manner. The whole affair
had been so sudden and rapid he |.
could neither analyze his feelings :
nor his actions. Imogene had only ,
said that she quite excused him.
Had there been anything to excuse?
And then this stranger. He was ,
quite as inexplicable. Governor De
Forest had simply introduced him {
rs ''Mr. John Winthrop" He was
4 little man, with plain, positive
ace. His skin was tanned, his hair S
light, and his eyes of that steely
,lue which always annoys weak and I
incapable persons.
Mr.. Winthrop made very light of l
he adventure, and gave all the cred
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