New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-08-30
MR.. ATTERBURY'S DUEL.

p .ar u lad nearly the whole work of the firm TO
attend to. for Grinder dead, and Grabbc was
,asf seventy deaf and stupid. and hence 10 came 10
sss that he very rarely indeed indued himself fna
koIjaay of more than a cOuple OF Days dnrsIon.
He now and than ran down to Bri2hton' Eastoontno
- ar Margate from Saturday To Monday, OF spent
day on the river at Richmond or Hampton Court;
but for years he had not been fifty mites from
London. and never in his life had Dill. ASsefonJ
crossed the Channel.
Atterbury sat in his sanctun opening nus iettcLs,
and wishing devoutly that lac could manage W iIV
the affairs of Grinder, Grabbe 81 Atterpu,y ipoS S
after themselves for season, untii inc We,he tS
become somewhat more enaura1,ie, Wao and Mr.
epistles before him bore French stamp. anu 'i,'
Attcrbury wondered languidiy who his foTegn CDR
Respondent could be-. He opened ana reah. ~ vas
feman' n MIR. Cheqnertou. who had long been one
of the most profitable clients OF the iirn bliss
Chsquerton wrote in great distress aes TO
recover He was. however. conscious aud IN no
Immediate danger. and he wished Mr; AtterDnry 70
The letter was written from the Grand Hotel,
Dinard where. it appeared the Chequertons hao
otvI ttarsury twisted the letter round his fingers
"a ha Thought the matter or. Here was certainly
nm admirable opportunity for his hoildsy ne mao
or a country it was situated IN, but he remembered
that Tom burton, of his articied clerks nad
spent his summer holiday in Brittany and deter
mined to ask his advice on the subject SO ne rang
the bell and summoned that young man W LIS
pre.%snSs s; .o If nIaos IA puarl =, he inquired.
"a i-thaS is very nice indeed" answered. Mr:
Burton; lots to do, danciD tonns racing lots OF
prstty--I mean very good socety,' he added Win
Sr. Attcrbury glanced sornewhat stcrniy over his
glasses.
Scan vou speak Frenchf" -.
find nv way about the country. and oil that"
Hin /; see there is . boat from Southampton to
St. Malo tonight Get ready TO go with me; We
shall probably be away a week or ten days"
So Mr. Burton left his superiors room delighted at
thu prospect of an extra holiday. while Mr; Atter
was bachelor so his arrangements were speedily
made and on tho following morning he and Burton
feeling whichever pauies the absence of razors
and a bath They crossed over to Dinard and 2ut
q 20 e5aHs gss Thsrs s, 4s sl tSd Mr.
Mr. Attcrbury spent a sufficiently ,wearisome
afternoon The old gentleman wanted to make
acme important alterations in his WILL bat he was
frctf,i and undecided and the solicitor found the
greatest possible difficulty In preventing him from
wandering from the point, and IN comprehenaing
what his wishes really BY dinner time, there
fore, he felt what disposed for little relax.
alton and consulted Mr.. Burton as 10 the best
coms TO tSe Casao saggssted that young man
al can easily get YOU IN Introduction, and III not
half bad fun. They are mostly English people. SO
Won won't have any trouble about the language
So the par dined judiciously bat WELL and went on
the Casino after smoking cigar Oh the beach,.
IL was lively scene fair band was playnga
xsit1 and twenty or more couples were dancing
with much spirit on an excellent ioor The room
opened out on large vcranda: IN the dark corners
Of which varous couples could Le indistinctiy seen
holding sweet converse under che moons unob-
truslve rays There was a refrcshinont bar and q
card room and further of could be heard the click
of billiard balls There was sort of free-andeasy
air about the whole entertainment that struck Mr.
Aftorbury as affordlng somewhat welcome relief
to the gruesome respectability of the entertain
ments in his own ueighbsrhood of BrixtOn.
ST you'd like 70 dance. I'll Introduce Won 10 lots
of people" said Mr.. Burton. " hose manner toward
sCertanly." said ar. Atferbury, who was IN She
habit of being rather after by the fair quite
as much it to be feared for the sake OF his money
and prospects as for his personal advantages.
Burton as good as bis word. and the worthy
solicitor speedily provided with plenty Of
with and utterly devoid of difiidcDcs. He began TO
enjoy himself vastly, and paid several visits 70 tho
tall woman in the cornerf" he presently asked
Tom Burton. the ono talking to the little French
aOh. that is Mrs Titns Higginshaw, widow Of a
Yankee pigjobber or cats meat man or something.
] believe she's very rich; all the Frenchmcn run
after her like mad
sDo you think you conId introduce me 7" asked
Mr.. Attcrbury. upon whom the widows fascina-
tions had produced great effect.
IL don't know her myself. but can easily get
some one else tn do it," replied Iom and 30 the
ceremony of presentation was performed; the little
French officer went off In oh of partner, and
MI Attcrbury was left to ingradate himself with
the lovely American. Impressed though he already
was by her appearance the worthy solicitor was
completely conquered by her manners and engaging
conversation. She seemed TO have been every
where, and to have seen everything; 10 be on the
most intimate terms with half OF the distinguished
personagcs in Europe and to know very nearly
much about London as Mr.. Atterburv did himself.
At the same time she affected no airs OF superiority.
listened attentively to Mr. Attcrburvs comments
on men and things. always laughed in the right
place, and even permitted him to trt with her in
mid and harmless fashion. Mr.. Atterbnry was en-
raptured. lie monopolized her society for the
evening in spite OF the murder0us scowls OF the
French officer and other MISUNDERSTANDING foreign
ers and went to bed tn dream ecstatically OF win
ming at the relict and the millions Of the de-
funct Hgginshaw:
fortnight passed, and Mr.. Atterbury showed no
signs OF moving. He had long since sot Ill order
the affairs Of Mr.. Cbegncrton, and or two mes
sages hal already reached him from London sug-
costing his speedy return to the Office. BIT Mr..
Atterbury's feelings too much for him. lie
was, in fact. desperately In love with the fair
widow. and determined not to leave DiLard
without putting his fate to the touch She. on her
part by no means discouraged his devotion, but
with the ingenuity of ber sex, contrived that one
hopes and another cast into the depths Of despair
Nevertheless ne decidedly the most favored
of her many suitors. and the desperate fits of
comparatively occurrence. Mr.. Tom Burton
naturally enough, took the deepest interes. in his
patrons love affair. Mr.. Atterbury conlded TO him
every detail and poured into his sympathlzng ear
his hores aud fears, his successes aud his failures
Tom did not seem In the least bored In fact, his
services came In very useful, for Mr. Atterbury
ploy him to look after Mrs Higginshaw whenever
he himself was absent and to keep at safe distance
any insidious and fascinating frenchnian who APP
peared to have designs upon her hand: Tom was 2
elderly sirens endeavorod to lure him to play bac-
carat with them, but he manfully withstood the
temptation, and devoted himself to advancing his
superior's suit As a matter OF fact. he had played
baccarat at Dinard before. and did not find 1t o
profitable speculation.
And 80 matters went Oh smoothly enough until
there appeared on the scene certain Marquis dc
Roulz who drove tandem, talked very big and
wore diplomatic uniform in the evenings, covered
with gorgeous orders lie was tall man. this mar
quis. with black hair, shining teeth q magnificent
mustache, and an obtrasve imperial. whereas 4