, 1888-02-16
A CUBAN DUEL.


~ second to bowling Cuban swell. 1t
was aducl that set the queen of the An
TILES agog. On Sunday night there was
music In tho park, and after dinner an
English lord, Chicago gambler and
vcro strolling TRANQUILITY along in the
starlight when q magniiicently appointed
victoria roso UP aud u Inau whom we all
know jumped out.
IL was at your hotel" ho said, raising
bis hat 0miably, 'but You had out gone,
and 80 come here"
"liawp' said tho Englishmnn, fixing his
glass In his eye and beaming through 1t
upon the young Cuban, "I'm shuah we're
always glad to SOC you--indecd, we--ch--
We nrc vawstly indebted to you already
Tor SO many agreeable UttelitlonS"---
''lndeed, said the Cuban, with dcprc-
catory wave OF tho hand. 'it Ii 1 that
am compl!ineuted by meeting men OF the
world"
Tho gambler nodded to him sagcly, and
Dattel his shoulder with thin, white
hand, on which giittercd q diamond as biz
rs an acorn. Having passed cretlitably
through the complimentary stage Of the
conversatiou--an absolute necessity in tho
troplcs-we wandered over 10 tho big
Louvre cafe Here the Cuban told us OF
masked ball that was ON tAGt night. Az
near us wo could make out it WIS u sort
OF half way respectable dance, where ono
might expect to meet altuosC anything.
There was always moro OK less inyatcry ia
our talk, ~ tho Cubun spoke very little
English He, however, kucw sonlc Ger
ran-the gambler know tho tongue we'll
and was admirable in French, Tho Brit
i5h noblcmsn'1 Knowledge of the Language
OF tho merry Oaul was OIL tho same &C.
centric scalc as ny own, and wo all knew
u little Spanish Tho tall. was commonly,
therefore, touching mtSture Of French,
Spanish, Gcrtnau and English.
''And l rGwther like 1t, too, dye
know" to EnsliahnlAn remarked that
night. "1--ah-nevLh really understand
what people arc talking about in my own
tongue, and I'm quito shuah no emo has
tho slightest idea what-gi---what hap
pen to be pratiug about, though We all
keep up such q tremendous seeming, you
know This way it doesn't mGko''---
There was y sudden movement IN the
crowd, chair was overturned and fell
with y Crnsh on tho 1oor, and tho Cuban
gt or table sprang to hl3 feet end l,larcd
Eava.;oly ut q gallov faced rnaa wnO stood
treaty feet away wish his blazing eyca
fS5d on the Cubaa'5 iGce. Neither man
moved Tho space Detweon thorn was
cleared instantly, and every man in tic
room was on his feet except tho nooleman,
tHt RiAllbleE anu llJSc4l.
"'lnoro'9 Gon' T. b9 shootin'," muttercd
tho Chicago man softly.
Looks that way" sold the English
man laconically, cs lo turned his han,l.
soino and importtlrboblc face moro toward
tho stranger. Whea The Cuban junped
TO his feet his hand fell mechanically on
my shoulder, and his grip frightened c3 ho
stared mt his los TIL 1 thought Li3 nails
would bore through my coat. Thus no
stooa for awhile, and then the stattles1Co
man across the room Yves surrounded By
his friends and hurried out. Ho won't
with his face turned toward us TO tho last.
IL was brutal face. Tho Cuban sanl. In
liis seat and lighted u cigarette, ehc wait
crs moved alertly about and rubbed my
shoulder gently.
"Are y armed, m sor" asked the
gambler in his soothing vo,ce % lac laid
his hand on the young follows knee.
"No, ol3o kill him as 10 stand"
''Weil, wen just g over with you q
your house Till you got in Shepe, see?
don't know much, you uucrstan', but
come from o corner G. the airth where
men taes caro- o. themselves, an know
tn look of u Iian that'l shoot. If thut
white lversd snlpe gets the drop on you,
yer gone"
''Good, SAID tho boy--ho was but 2t--.
"I will 30 arm myself, but go alone
else seem coward. VIII join you hero
again"
wo nodded and he left us, while the
gambler watched him closely Then tho
Chicago man twisted about in bis seat,
lighted cigar ncrvously, moved his big
diamond ring onco br twice on his thin
finger, and said in his peculiar, insinuat-
ing voice:
Don't you think had better 90 with
himf"
We nodded again and he slid out of the
door and moved hurriel,iy Gcross TO tho
park in the direction taken By tho yourl:
Cuban. The Englishmcn pulled hi.2s IL
together and told mo OF the trouble be-
tween our Cuban friend aud tho srllov
faced man who had Glared at him in such
u theatrical manner.
That chap" said tho lord, with nod
toward tho place whe,o the snllow faced
Eian had stood, sis one Of the bestsw.rls-
mon IN lInvann. 10 il tho head CT u fam
i!y that's very well known here, and hos
fought q number OF ducls both IN Paris,
Madrid and ut homo. He has surly dis
petition, but his skill with tho pistol AID
fc,i has I::aSie him more or less faInou1,
and no Ia IS good deal OF local hero He
~ con5umptive and booked for the svoy-
are within . fow years, anyhow, end
that seems to have made him reckless.
His trouble with our friend Tomaso here
Is OF less than five hours standing. They
wcrc playing ecarte ofter breakfast to-
day; there was some dispute, md the boy
hero throw the cards in tho duelist's face.
/ heard Of 1t ell In tho clubs this aiter-
nooa whilo You were asleep. Several Of
T0inGso's friends have tried 10 get lin
o",:y, but tho boy has the right spirit,
and hos u good deal moro of ON ANGLO.
Saxon than most OF tho people here. I