Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-13

the mOrtuary ceremonies.
The day for the hearing Of the great
Rouget succession case came, and with
il came Lueien Massey. He made an eX-
cellent argument before an encouraging
bench. As he came down the winding
stone staircase of the court building he
received the congratulations of many
older attorneys. He felt very proud. At
the lower landing man rudely jOstled
him; it was Gaspard Racial. lit is you,
! you young villianw muttered Gaspard.
"0ui c'eSt mot, cOQuiR-it is /, rascal" re-
piled Lucien, striking him smartly in
| the face with a copy of his brief in the
succession case. There was no scuffle,
for they were gentlemen, both of theml
About 10 O'Clock one bright morning
two earriages-one. short time later
than the other-drew up before a clump
of live oaks at the city side of by-r0ad
winding through the high ground of Or
leans parish, which is known as Metaire
Ridge. Each carriage, as 1t arrived,
emptied itself and the driver, without
ado, led his horse &nG vehicle away from
the little road into the trees and shrub
berry, out of sight of any one who might
chance to pass that way-which were
chance indeed.
From the first coach had alighted the
short and rather corpulent Gaspard
Racial, and s smart 1oo,-g gentle fe-
a moment at the coach approach
ing, and then Immediately sought
the secluded rendezvous. Jacques
1 Tujacque, a noted amateur with the
felret, was the first of the adverse party
TO descend from their carriage. He car
ried several rapiers under his arm. Then
came Lucien and little DR.. BaZinet.
Z Il n. - 81, f,,.
picked his way across a low wet place
between the oaks and the selected spot;
s'these oaks seem lugubrious enough, with
their dark mOurnful leaves and their
long gray boards of moss"
"Dr. Bazinet is mai propoS," said
Lucien.
s'And, like a physician, always think
ing of something suggestive of death"
grOwled Tujacque.
ssNo," reioined Lucien; 81 have noticed
that physicians are almost invariably
cheerful. Bazinet must be out of sOrts.'
"Pdrdi" protested the worthy doctor.
81 never felt better in my life, and when
l look up to the blue skies and the strong
daylight l feel sure that we are going to
come out of this affair victorious; but l
thought the oaks seemed gloomy and l
said sO-as Moliere says:-'Je ne mache
point &c que fdi sur le ceHr.'"
RACIAL and his second saluted him with
courteous gravity as they approached.
The second was a Spaniard, Santa Cruz
by name. The dueling ground was a
high, level stretch, open to the sky on one
side and overhung by majestic pecan
tree on the other; to the left group of
magnolias shone with the clear sunlight
upon their dark glaucous foliage, show
ing here and there the delicate green
sheaths of their tender flower buds, while
to the right moss covered cypress and
willows and untitled shrubs stood in
thick, impenetrable confusion out Of the
swamp which lay between the ridge and
the blue waters of Lake POntchartraIn.
Santa Cruz and Racial tried herapiers.
Santa Cruz found them little short and
light; so did Gaspard. TuJacque and
Santa Cruz, with a deal of chatter on the
part of the former and much mutual
politeness, picked out a very even bit of
ground nearly bare of yegetatiOn-it was
under the outer-mOst twigs of the lofty
pecan tree. BaZinet opened his little
box of instruments and medical para
phernalia.
The com batants armed themselves, took
their places and saluted each other. At
the signal the weapons crossed and the
duel began. A fine sight, thought Tu-
jacque and Santa Cruz, and they heard
the grating of the swords AID saw the
glitter of the steel with evident pleasure.
barous, but he could not take his eyes OFF
the scene. Lucien had never before
fought with anything more dangerous
than fOils. He felt considerably nervous,
but brave as a lion. RACIAL was power
full man, always on the aggressive. His
RiD0SteS were terrific in force, and even
his slightest movements were tolerably
rapid in execution, so that Lucien had
need OF all his suppleness OF wrist, agility
and delicacy Of touch. Lucien was deem
ed one of the best fencers in Orleans.
Suddenly there appeared a little red
spot on Lucien's sword arm. Racial
damned his own awkwardness. Tujacque
interposed.
sIt is only a scratch laughed Lucien.
Jacques said it should be satisfaction.
ssMy principal insists upon continu-
ance,'' said Santa Cruz.
ssPardir' cried Bazinet with much
agitation; this is savageryw
But the rapiers were again flashing,
scraping and ringing in fierce encounter.
Lucien had gained complete eompOsure;
he began to act. on the offensive. RACIAL
fenced somewhat after the Spanish fash
ion, and jumped about great deal for
clumsy, fat man. attacking frequently on
the lower line. In his youth he had been
a better swordsman than Massey now
was, but at present he was rather slow
and stiff from want of practice.
Tujacque, seeing Massey thus calm,
lighted a cigar and began to smoke, but
he pulled only two or three times. Before
RACIAL could quite recover himself from
a lunge, to make which he had cast him.
self almost on the ground, Lucien had
prieked him in the shoulder-scarcely
more than Craze it was, but leaving the
flesh bare and dyeing the torn shirt with
blood. "Pdrdip' calculated the watehful
and uninitiated physician, running for
ward to be intercepted by Santa Cruz.
The sight of the naked shoulder seemed to
infuriate Gaspard; he threw himself with
ferocity upon his antagonist, but rage is
half way blind. The rapiers ratified,
clinked and grated and the flashes leaped
out as never before. Suddenly Gaspard
bent over and his sword dropped. Lucien's
weapon had passed through his body. A
stream Of blood followed the withdrawal
of the blade. RACIAL mutteTed a 'sBlOrdi0up'
half Strengthened himself, raised his arm
for thrust, staggered moment and fell
nN Frn nth 10 " fp0rr