The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-11-03

nonsense, sheer nonsense; it can't Ee
allowed to go on. You've no busi-
ness my dear boy, to be coming
abroad for your holiday and getting
yourself entangled in miseries Sf this
sort: What would your family say?
Think of them"
He raised lis haggard face. 81
can't do it, he said; II can't; not
without leaving them to say that
an Englishman shirked, and lost his
honor because he was afraid. Audit
would be true
''Oh,' said, ''there are ways OF
putting things. Tell them you've
thought better of it, that in England
vel too civilized for such barbarous
Middle Age practices, that when man
is offensive we knock him down
stairs and there is an end of 1t. Any
thing would be good enough for q
set OF brutes who would entrap a lad
like you into q duel"
had touched his dignity, perhaps.
81 was not entrapped," he said, then
broke into q sob. Don't" he cried,
s'don't tempt me- oughtn't to
have told you anything about 1t, !
suppose, but couldn't help it. l
don't want to think off l shall get
frightened again and feel can't fsce
it all. Besides, there's something
else want to say" He began hur-
riedly turning over the papers on the
table. eff Pm killed."
"Oh, GOMEZ" l said, "there's no
question here of being killed. Duels
are fought every day abroad, and
no one is a bit the worse. To-mor-
row night you'll be laughing at your
fears"
II think shall be killed."
he said simply. 81 began a let
ter to my mother" he went on
quietly enough. II don't know how
to finish it. l think I'll sign it, and
get you to give it to her: Pm glad
you're here. l thought there would
beno one for me to speak to again"
He took d sheet of paper with a
halfflled page and wrote; then fold
ing and directing it, put in his little
writing case. you'll find it there"
he said. "And this portmanteau,
he continued, "can 60 as it is. There
are some things in it for my little
sister Maggie; I've got them at diff.
ferent places I've been to; please see
that she has them. And there are
some books for my eldest brother;
ne likes old books"
'You have brothers?" inquired.
1.-TWO; they're both older than l
am. My father is dead. He died in
Germany; we were living there at
the time. That is how I came to
know German. wish / didn't.
He sat silent, his head resting on
one hand, the fingers of the other
idly tracing figures on the table;
now and then he gave a shivering
sigh. At last he looked up and
spoke.
ado you, do you" he began In
an uncertain voice. He went on
more collectedly. "Do you believe,
you know, in q future life and all
that? Some fellows don't. They do
at hOme.'
your mother does, SAID.
'sTrust to her."
eyes, she believes" he said, with a
sigh. He fumbled In his pocket and
brought out a small New Testament.
''She gave me this at school," he
said, land told me to bring it
abroad with me. That is her mark
in it,"
He opened it and turned over the
leaves, but in a moment laid it
down and passed his hand over his
eyes.
II can't see," he said, ''the words
are all dazzled. Read me something,
won't you? There, where her mark
is"
He pushed the book to me across
the table. l took it up. A blue rib
bon divided the leaves; the book
opened of itself l read as directed,
where verse marked in pencil first
caught myeye.
"1Let not your heart be troubled,
neither let it be afraid; We have heard
how I have said unto you, l go
away"
A mist passed before my own eyes;
l closed the book. "My dear lad"
| said, 'I'm neither clerk nor parson;
more's the pity, if it would be any
help to you. But if you follow my
advice, you will take the comfort of
your text and sleep upon it for the
next few hours. You'll be all the bet
ter man tomorrow morning for q
nights rest"
He did not Immediately answer.
He had taken up the book and was
letting his eyes stray over the pages.
l spoke again.
"Could you sleep, do you think, if
left your" / said.
81 don't know-I'll try" he said
rather vaguely. He closed the book
and rose; l rose also, and stood If
resolute. 1 hardly liked to leave him
alone. Yet his chance of rest. !
thought might be greater so than if
| remained. He understood my
doubtapparently.
"I'm all right now" he said. 81
dare say shall sleep as you say.
l thank you for coming in: l don't
know what l should have done with
out you"
He smiled family and held out his
hand; there were tears in his eyes; his
hand was cold as ice. asked him a
few questions, brief as l could make
them, about the mornings arrange
ments. The meeting was to take
place, found, at spot knew, in a
wood just without the town walls,
where the ruins of an old abbey stood
on a grassy lawn. 81 shall see you
in the morning" said, and with the
promise wrung his hand and left him.
went back to my own room, and,
dressed as 1 was, threw myself on the
bed. Not for moment did l intend
that this iniquitous duel should go
on. At earliest dawn l proposed to
rouse the landlord, to stir up the city
guard if needful; nay. to call out the
town garrison itself, rather than per-
NIT an act of criminal or unnecessary
folly. All this, Isay, INTENDED. For