Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-07
than its proportion of educated blackguards

acd fashionably dressed rascals.
After having been one of the principals
in the commotion of the evening, he die
not care to retire too early, lest his retire
ment might be misunderstood, although hi
hated to be, as he was aware he must be, I
general topic for discussion. Consequently
| he seated himself in corner with the cur
rent number of the Atlantic, and tried t.
discourage invasion from gossips and news
mongers.
He was but measurably successful. Sew
eral OF Royden's acquaintance came to tall
to him of the unhappy affair, as they named
I it. They thought that he had been thu
aggressor, and that it would be desirable
on all accounts to settle the matter paciti
cally. They intimated that he ought t.
make the first overtures, and that, if HI
would, the thing might be arranged with
out getting into the newspapers and ere
ating public scandal.
Archer, who felt that these persons
were anxious to relieve Royden from what
might be termed very awkward predica
ment, told them that he had done nothing
which he regretted. SO far as his adversary
| was concerned. He should do the same
thing again under the same circumstances,
and he added that he was disinclined tc
pursue the subject. The would-be peace.
makers withdrew, therefore, explaining
that they had been influenced only by the
best of motives.
When Archer left the club about IL
o'clock, be went in search of Goodwin,
whom he had not seen for some days. He
found him at his hotel reading a French
novel for distraction, as Oscar said, and re-
cited all that had taken place since their
last meeting as briefly as possible.
Goodwin was as indignant as his friend
had been at Royden's RIGHTEOUSNESS and
treachery, and pronounced the doctors
proposal of marriage to Christina the quint.
escence of romantic chivalry, but some
what supererogatory, perhaps.
"Im aware" said Archer, That ninety
nine men out of hundred would consider
it extreme folly. 1t was hot, know, The
part of worldly wisdom but, under those
conditions, there was nothing else to do
and you, Oscar, situated as 1 was, would,
/ suspect, initiate my example"
"Would 1? Well, it is pretty hard tc
tell what man will or won't do when put
to it. But what course do you intend
to adopt in regard to the choking Of
Royden? ?"
cit is for him to act, not for me.
suppose that he has made up his mind tc
challenge me-"
"But you won't fight him You've always
been opposed to dueling, and have always
ridiculed it,
$50 have, Goodwin, and I'm wholly
opposed to it now. Nevertheless, if he
calls me out, l shall go. After what
have said to him, he might be justified
in believing, if l should decline, that
had declined for some other reason than
principle. He can't appreciate principle,
and l haven't courage enough to allow
such a shallow scoundrel as he to think
l am coward. | would rather not 90 out
with him. could easily refuse to employ
the lingo of the code by declaring him not
gentleman. He isn't, of course but he
is very much the kind of gentleman
Heaven save the mark that figures Ill
the duello. He richly merits killing on
general grounds, though l have no desire
to be his executioner. He is Margaret
Royden's brother by blood, by the acct
dent of birth. That might entitle him to
consideration, if he were not her antipodes.
sincerely believe that, if she could be
deprived of the three members of her
family, it would be a great gain to her."
That seems a bad thing to say, Archer
but it would be harder to contradict it.
How could such girl and such brother
spring from the same stock? I am always,
as you know, putting this question in one
form or another and the oftener put it,
the more difficult the answer is.
The matter, l repeat, is not so strange,
Oscar. You evidently have theory about
blood and inheritance; but facts, as you
are aware, often play the devil with theo
ries. We are continually hearing of black
sheep in flock; why shouldn't there be a
particularly white eve in black flock
The Roydens, father, mother and son, are
sufficiently dark in hue to make the daugh.
ter appear conspicuously white. The law Of
balance in them would require that she
should be above the moral level, since they,
as it seems to us, are far below it. Do you,
by the by, make any progress in unravel
ing Barigues' antecedents?
I'm sorry to say do not. I've beer
investigating the subject of the letters O
introduction, which, it is currently re-
ported, the Count brought here, and Tn
forced to acknowledge, though I haven
seen them, that there is no rational doub
of the fact"
"That looks bad for our cause, Good
win. 1t is not easy to go behind letters o
introduction from prominent persons il
Europe, where they are, you know, fa
more particular about such things than W,
are here"
I'm painfully conscious of the truth o
what you say, Archer. I'm distressed a
my want of success. Instead of gettin,
out of my Labyrinth, I seem to get furthe
and further in. What troubles me mos
is that I've probably inspired Margare
with some hope, through my expressed
confidence. To drive her back to tn
utter darkness of despair, after lead
ing her to a little light, woulc
be supreme Indebtedness both fo
her and myself. I've staked the hap
piness of two souls on my ability t.
expose Barigues. My happiness is of small
consequence hers is inestimable. l don
think I'm weak but sometimes l seen
overweighted with my assumed response