Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1883-12-20


Fsw people knew what sort Of party
!. was driving down the shel!road border
ing Bayou ST. John. Two carnage
s,oppt just Oh the bridge leading 10 the
islald formed there by hfurcatton Of the
bayou, and four gentlemen alighted.
Savslle, u well known character here 80
y ars ago, accompanied Riyiere. ard O d
Dir. Rocqnet was with Drlagrave Tn
seconds had met previously and arranged
everything. Dslagrave, H5 be stepped
from the carriage, looked furtiveiv around
or the case of pistols but seeing none he
was little disconnected After walking
ibout 100 yards from the carriage the
the party stopped and the doctor motioued
hem TO approach closer When tEuy had
done SO. be called them 10y name aHd
said Gentlemen, we have dIscussea
lhis matter nearly all of last night, aud
boIh NJ Sayalle and myself feel satisfied
that there Is no solution to the u.Her, nee
between you but the death of one. The
world is so formed that both cannot live
10 it at the same time The two men
nodded. Therefore" the doctor went
on, we have agre TO make the arbiLra
| meDt HI fair as 1t is possible, aud let fate
decide" He took out a black morocco
tase and from it produced pill box cor
tanning four pellets. Zone Of these, 2"
said he contains a positively fatal DOSE
of pru7-ic acid, the other three are harm
less. Wa have agreed that each shall
swallow two of the pills and let destiny de
| eide. Savalle inclined his head and said,
AZ the representative OF Rlviere, he agreed
The two men were pale, almost blood
| less, but not nerve ttembled or muscle
contracted.
''Gentlemen, said the doctor, I'VE will
toss tor the first pill Stvalle called out
'tails' as the glitteriug gold piece re-
volved in the air. 1t fell in bunch of
grass, the blades Of which, being sepsr-
ated, showed the coin with the reversed
Goddess of Liberty uppermost. an
Delngrave, iyou have the first choice, said
the doctor
Repoaing in the little box, the four lit
tie globes seemed the counterpart of each
| other The closest scrutiny would lot de-
velop the slightest difference. Nature
alone, through the physiological alembic
of the human stomach, can tell of their
properties. In one there rests the pail of
eternity, the .truRge for breath. the fail.
ing of sight, the panorama of years rush
| ing in an instant through the mind the
silence and peace of sleep for evermore,
| the ceremony. the burial case, the solemn
| cortege ard the close, noisome ntiuosI here
of the grave. All these " ere contained in
one of these little pell It's Deagraye hay
ing won the first choice, stepped forward
and took pill. With calmness which
was frigld h. placed it on his tongue and
with cup of claret, handed him by the
| doctor washed it down.
And now, NJ. Riviere, "ssid the doctor.
Riviere extended his hand and took pill
Like his opponent he swallowed Ii.
The two men stood looking one another
in the face. There was not culver to
the eyelid, not a twitch to muscle Each
was thinking OF himself as well as watch.
Jog his adversary. One minute passed.
Two minutes passed. Three. Four Five.
Now, gentlemen" said the doctor in
solemn tones, lit is time to make the
final drawing"
This was the fatal chance Both men
were ready for the cast of the die. Savalle
tossed the gold piece aloft, and the doctor
cried out "H leads Heads" il was, and
Delagrave took pill from the box, Ieav-
ing only one. Now said the doctor,
1.-THE remaining one is for you. You will
please swallow them together"
The two men raised their hands at the
same time and deposited the pills on their
tongues and took draught of clsret.
One second passed and there was nc
movement. Two seconds, and neither
sllrred. Then-"Good God" exclaimed
Riviere, his eyes starting from theii
sockets. He turned half around to the