The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-08-19
"IIold up; you didn't say lit"
"Wcll, the cigar was smoking"
ttPnt II out then -


''Put it out then"
"Sir. you have run the risk that ran
l have lost, but l do as you would have
done. will put this lighted cigar int
this bung-hole-'
"Put in the chcwcd-up end, then"
"You insult me again, sir"
''Blcss your heart. You fire up
sight easier than this powder ever will
DO you think that | would put the burn
ing end of a cigar into the Dung hole o
kcg full of powdcrl'
Il have told you again, and rcpca
it, that you arc no gentleman. But L..
am man of honor. Bah. You shall
see me die as one. I keep my promise.
Foulon slowly advanced the burning
cigar toward the opening in the keg be
meath.
"Go away hero: you shall be killed?'
shouted Nicairc to the colonel; but the
latter remained quietly beside the vic
tim. Nicairc covered his face with hi:
hands, and waited for the awful moment
which was to blow his friend TO atoms.
There was dead silence, and then a
slight hiss Was heard Nicairc looked
up. Fou!on, his face purple with rage,
was holding his cigar, alter repeatedly
poking it into the bung- The Col
oncl was one broad grin.
as this powder" asked Foulon.
"Tooth POWDER answered the col
oncl; "cost Il heap"
but" SAID Fouion, shaking now with
rage instead OF fear, ''if you had lost the
toss up our kcg was full of gunpowdcr.
| What thcn!'
"ld have put the cigar out before ]
put it in," said the colonel.
"Ah." murmurcd Fouion.
cor stuck in the chewed up end.
Hold on to the terms. YOU know"
Fouon calmly walked to his carriage.
! He and Nicairc hois!cd in their kcg OF
gunrowdcr and followed it themselves.
'Si.!" shouted Foulon to the colonel,
~ said you were no gentleman, l say
now You are u coward"
The colonel smiled.
For three days the friends walked
about Paris and saw both Foalon and
Nicairc several times. They were not
posted in the cafes, for the Frenchmcn
feared the Storm of ridiculc which a
knowledge of the grotcsQuc duel would
bring upon them. Neither were they
horscwnipped, for Nicairc argued that
they would probably rctaiiatc, and in
such case the whipping would be only
modiform of the ducl 4 Ia club rcmpli.
/ On the fourth day after this, duel" the
three friends happened to be on one Of
tic large and beautiful steamers CARRYING
cxcursioni>ts down the Seine. Colonel
Skerctt. like consistent Yankee, was
in the pilot house, watching the work.
ing of the wheel. He came down after
ward and sauntercd back to where his
two friends were standing. Near them
were no less individuals than Fouon
and Nicaire. Neither party addressed
The other. The boat was in the middle
Of the river. For long distance on
either side the banks were straight, and
the tide was flowing directly down the
middle channel. Suddenly arose CRY
Of fire. A wild stampede of passengers
in the bow of the boat was made toward
the stern, and Foul1n, who was standing
near an opening in the railing, was
thrown from his balance. AS lie was fall
ing overheard the Colonel stretched out
his long arm, graspcd him by the collar
and pulled him in ag,in. The French
mans hat had fallen of. The colonel
picked it up, and with friendly smile
handed it to his late adversary. Foulon
colored up and said eagerly:
Colonel Skcrrctt, beg your pardon.
You arc gentleman"
In the meantime the panic increased.
All the bow OF the boat was in bright
blaze, and the fire reached the pilot
house. The pilot rushed out with singed
beard and eyebrows, and the boat slowly
driftcd down the stream. The colonel
caught hold of the pilot aid dragged
him to Foulon.
"Sir." said he, task this here fellow
which bank is the safest to land on, and
tell me-"
''lIe says the right onc," answered
Foulon. But the boat cannot lie man.
aged. The wheel must be on fire."
Without word OF reply the colonel
plowcd his way through the shrck!ng
crowd, lcaped up the steps of the pilot
house and seized the wheel. There he
stood. the flames roaring about him, the
crowd shrieking beneath him, steadily
steering toward the rig ght shore. Foulon
shuddcrcd at this exhibition of simple,
supcrhuman courage. The bank was
rcachcd. The crowd, selfish and crazcd
with fear. rushed TO land. The majU
and the captain struggled up the burn
ing steps Of the pilot house, followed by
Foulan and Nicairc. They dragged the
colonel out through the Games, bore him
to the bank and applied rcstorativcs. lie
WAS less injured than might have been
supposed, and at length opened his
eyes. =.
"Oh, Colonel Skcrrctt" cried Fou-
lon, with tears in his eyes. your pardon.
vo,lr pardon! You are brave man and
q man Of honor"
The colonel, said Captain Pickering,
'.can swim like an otter. lie could
have crossed the creek 1 hundred times
without stoppimg.'
Fists" sad Major Marsh. ''arc no
weapons. perhaps. Well, pistols arc.
+ The colonel can knock the centre Of
Il five cent piece span in the air at fifty
yards.'
81 will never fight duel again, muir
INJURED Fculon.
and never call one man re coward
for not fight OF re duel, said Eicairc.
Are all the women safe?' asked the
colonel. -fred1rik ". .irerY.