The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-03-11
DUEL ABOUT MISS IMOGENE.

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teen years old, a beauty and belle.
Girls of all kinds. if they live, can be
eighteen years old +; but to be beau
ty and belle needs a concurrence
of favorable circumstances. In Miss
Im0gene these favorable circumstan-
ces were of decided order. She had
a lovely face. graceful figure, and
she was the only child of the Hon.
Lysander De Forest, an ex-Gover-
nor, an ex-senator, and probable
foreign minister.
Besides, she had very respectable
private fortune. though young Jeffer-
son Duval and Captain Milton Fnn-
taine both averred that was the very
least point In her charms. and not
worthy to be named with her dark
eyes and her bewitching smile. Girls
Of eighteen are not all wise, and per-
haps Miss Imogene believed this at
any rate she looked az if she believed
it. When wandering in the MOON
light under the 0range-trees, or when
whirling through the waltz i'm some
splendid feast, they were both quite
certain that nothing but Mis- Imo-
genes personal loveliness entered in
to their dreams concerning her.
Hitherto, though both pretenders
to Imogene's favor. they had pre-
served the semblance of friendship.
DuvaI rather wished to do so /; it gave
him an honorable opportunity of
watching his rivals chances; and
Fontaine was of that order of men
who like little opposition. He in
tended at some favorable opportunity
to make coup d'etdt and st once and
forever put poor Duval out of the
painful uncertainties Of love. For
somehow he regarded his own suc-
cess as certain. and if the confident
heart wins the fair lady, and the faint
one loses her. he had some reason for
his blissfuI security.
One lovely evening in the charm.
ing May-for May Is charming in
central Texas-Imogene was slowly
riding across pairie that was one
hillowy sea of grass and flowers.
Duval was Ivy her side, reciting By
ron in very touching manner. Inn
0gene had casually noticed that two
horSenen had emerged from little
wood, and were slowly following
them and she had also noticed that
they had passed. at rather closer
quarters than she liked, herd of
cattle, feeding. Whether the mag
nificent bull leading them was irrita-
tel by Duval's floating scarlet neck.
tie, or hy the poetry, or by motives
beyond human comprehension. is
uncertain, but his anger was positive
enough. Believing and tearing up
the ground, he came furiou-ly after
the lovers. Poetry and sentiment
collapsed. and the first law of nature
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 Oi il in , race over two
miles of open prairie:
"H : is gaining on us, Juval, and
/ am turning sick and faint. "Oh,
what shall l do :'
"Let us separate. He can not fol-
low both, and perhaps he will select
me-"
Suddenly the shouts of the men be-
hind attracted their attention. I'm
Ggene glanced fearfully around. The
two hOrsemen she had noticed were
coming on at thundring 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 evil
dent that Governor De Forest was
one of the h0rsemen; the other who
still held the rope. was quite un-
known both to Duval and Im0gcne.
The Cover, or quickly dispatched
the bull with his rife, and then, as
the herd were evidently growing
uneasy, the whole party rode rapidly
home. Thanks aud 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 Imogene.
Duval was very unhappy. He won
dered If he had behaved in coward.
ly manner. The whole affair had
been ~ 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 az mex
plicable. Gov. De Forest had simply
introduced him rs "Mr. John Win.