The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-03-09
SELECT STORY.
THE DUEL ABOUT MISS IM0GENT.

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belle needs concurrence of favorable
circumstances. In Miss Imogene these
favorable circumstances were of de-
cided order. She had a lovely face,
graceful figure, and she was the only
child of the Hon. Lysander De Forest,
an Ex-Governor, an ex-senator, and
probable foreign Minister
Besides, she had very respectable
private fortune, though young Jefferson
Duval and Capt. Milton Fontaine both
averred that was the very least point
in her charms, and not worthy to be
named with her dark eyes and her be
witching smile. Girls of Is are not all
wise, and perhaps Miss Imogene believ.
ed this; at any rate she looked as if she
believed it; and both Duval and Fon-
taine 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
were both quite certain that nothing but
Miss lmogene's personal lovelness en-
tered iuto their dreams concerning her.
Hitherto, though both pretenders to
Imogenes favor, they had preserved the
sembance of friendship. Duval ratler
wished to do so; it gave hlm an honor.
able opportunity of watching his rivals
chances; and Fontaine was of that or
der of men who like little opposition.
lie intended at some favorable oppor-
tunity to make a coup d etat and at once
and forever put poor Duval out of the
painful uncertainties of love- For some
how he regarded his own success as
certain, and if the confident heart wins
the fair lady and the faint one loses her,
he had some reason for his blissful Sc
curity.
One lovely evening in the charming
May-for May is charming in Central
Texas -Imogenc was slowly riding
across a prairie that was one billowy
sea of grass and flowers. Duval was
by her side, reciting Byron in very
touching manner. lmogene had casu-
ally noticed that two horsemen had
emerged from little wood and were
slowly following them; and she had al
so noticed that they had passed, at
rather closer quarters than she liked, a
herd of cattle feeding. Whether the
magnificent bull leading them was IT.
rtated by Duval's scarlet floating neck
tie, or by the poetry, or by motives be-
yond human comprehension, is uncer-
tain, but his anger was positive enough.
Believing and tearing up the ground
he came furiously after the lovers.
Poetry and sentiment collapsed, and the
first law of nature promptly asserted
itself
Both put their horses to their utmost
speed, but the prospect was not cheer
ing. In fact the question was this
Would the bull or the horses have the
best OF it in a race of over two miles OF
open prairie?
"He is gaining on us, Duval, and ]
am turning sick and fain. Oh, what
shall | do?"
Let us separate. lie cannot follow
both, and perhaps he will follow me. "
Suddenly the shouts of men behind
attracted their attention. Imogcne
glanced fearfully around. The tive
horSemen she had noticed were coming
onat 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 ami
NAL. 1t was now evident that Govern
or de Forest was one of the horsemen
the other, who still held the rope, wa,
quite unknown both to Duval and limo
gene.
The Governor quickly dispatched th'
bull with his rifle, and then, as the here
were evidently growing uneasy, th'
whole party rode rapidly home. Thank
and introductions were practically de
iayed, although the stranger knew tha
no thanks and no introduction woulC
ever be more satisfactory to him THAI
the glance and smiles he had receive,
in the swiftest moment from Imogene
| Duval was very unhappy. He wond
cred if he had behaved in coward,
manner. The whole affair had been S,
sudden and rapid he could neither anal
we his feelings nor his actions. lmo
gene had only said that she "quite ex
cused him" Had there been anythin!
to excuse? And then this stranger
He was quite as inexplicable. Govern
or De Forest had simply introduced hin
as "Mr. John Winthrop" He was
little man, with plaic, positive face
His skin was tanned, his hair light, an,
his eyes of that steely blue which al
ways annoys weak and incapable per
sons.
Mr., Winthrop made very light of IT,
adventure, and gave all the credit O
the rescue to the Governor, except pei
haps for one moment, in which lmogen
and he once more changed eyes Tn
news soon spread through the littl
town, and Fontalne was very indignan
at fate | only he had been with Mis-
Imogene! Managing wild cattle was
tritle to him. He would rather have er
| Joy ed such an encounter than otherwise
He had half dozen plans alway
ready for such emergencies, etc. An
really he did look so gallant and s.
handsome that most girls would hav
been willing to face n herd of wild bu
faloes under bis protection.
Duval felt Fontaine's bravado PEI
sonal slight, but he did rot wish to max
Imogene the subject of a quarrel, an
after a rather unsatisfactory visit til
two men went home together,
However, next morning Captain Fol
taine had the most graceful little not
from Miss lmogene, asking him I
bring his guitar and assist her in ente
tanning a few guests that evening. DIT
val had also one, equally flattering; ft
it touchingly referred 70 their Imutu
danger and escape, and hoped he woul
come prepared to finish the exqnisil
poem which had been so terribly inte
rupted,
The evening was remarkable OF
in many respects, Scarcely ever hG
the eX Governors mansion been so br
liantly illuminated, and TO the magni
cent feast prepared all the princip
- magnates of the neighborhood had be,
invited,