Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-07-15

at cant bs put a stop to-" he said
sit must ga on. I'm pledged On my
honor that II shall go on"
i faced round on him. :.
"Look here" ! said I: ~ know all
about il. saw that girl this evening
/ heard about her. She leaves the house
to-marros. But you've fallen into O
trap, my dear fellow your honor has
nothing to gay in the matter. i give you
my word OF honor that the whole thing
may DO arranged without the slightest
difficulty"
How" he said with a certain eager
ness but checked himself immediately.
alt must so on," he repeated. ut il
all settled, tell you. j don't know what
you mean about the girl. There was
quarrel among lot OF officers down
stairs | got mixed up in 1t, Ike fool
but there were some good fellows among
them, and they'll see me through. After
all, !" he went on. trying to smile, "what
is duel Hundreds Of men have
fought and DO great harm come OF 1T.
he broke off as the shivering seized
him again, and the pallor. A light
dawned on me. 1t was fear thst held
the boy Us ho sat there, covering and
trembling, before me the lad with his
fresh complexion and pretty girls face
was coward, and as recognized the
fact, something of contempt for him rose
in my mind. Ihad in those days the bru-
tai stupidity OF q man to whom, consti,
tutionally, fear 10 unknown. / had
never considered. rs have had occasion
to do since, the tricks that vivid imagl-
nation may play with sensitive organi.
cation, and ] looked at the trembling lad
before me with the amount OF intelli-
gence bulldog might have brought to
bear upon the subject. Nevertheless, j
laid my hand on his shoulder good ma
turedly enough.
LOOK here" 1 said, giving him q
friendly shake. "Take some more
brandy first, though" L got him to
swallow another monthful. "Look here
my dear boy" 1 said, "you don't like
the notion of fighting, l see. Well, DON
give the thing another thought. Go to
bed and sleep soundly; when you wake
tomorrow morning you'll find it all ar
ranged"
He shook his head.
at can't bet can't be, he said. He
sprsng to his feet and paced the room
once or twice, his hands thrust deep into
his pockets "You think I'm afraid,
be said, standing in front of and speak.
ing rapidly. You're right, l ain afraid,
I'm sick with fear"
He dropped into his chair again and
flung out his arms across the table. bury.
ing bis face in them. In moment he
looked up.
"'ve been afraid all my life," lie said,
speaking low and very quickly. 81
can't help it. l can't see things any
other way. They used to bully me Al
school. Once l shirked something, and
the boys-" He broke off, "ODly one
fellow WAS good TO me, he went on.
60 He was older than was, aud he made
me promise I'd never Shirk q thing
through cowardice again, and l negel
will"
looked at him with a new sentiment,
"Where is your friend now?" l asked
after pause.
"He is dead" he answered. ole
was killed last year fighting IN India"
lie buried his face again, and there
was silence for awhile. heard the raiI
still falling steadily outside. Now anC
then the candle fickered little in the
breath of night air. AT last spoke.
"That is no reason-Do reason at all,
1 said, rising and pacing the room iii my
turn. "The thing is an absurdity, tel
you; no one fights duels III these days
Why, TO begin with, do you even know
what you are about Can you fire {
pistol, if, as l suppose, it is with pistols
you propose to amuse yourselves?"
He answered almost insudibly. l car
handle firearms" he said. 81 had t.
| learn"
| sat down and contemplated him fo
moment. "Look here" / broke GU
again, 1.-the whole thing is nonsense
sheer nonsense it can't be allowed to g
on. You've no business, my dear boy
to be going abroad for your holiday anC
getting yourself entangled in miseres o
this sort. What would your family say
Think Of them"
He raised bis haggard face. ~ can
get out of it.. he said / can't; not with
out leaving them to say that an English
man shirked. and lost his honor because
he was afraid. And it would be true.
ooh" said, "there are ways Of put
ting things. Tell them that you've
/ thought better Of it that in England
we're too civilized for such barbarou
Middle Age practices that when q maj
is offensive we kick him down stairs anC
there is an end of it. Anything would
be good enough for o set of brutes whC
would entrap lad like you into duel.
1 had touched bis dignity perhaps
81 was not entrspped," he said theI
broke into sob. Don't" he cried
"don't tempt me. / oughtn't to have
told you anything about it, | suppose
but | couldn't help it. l don't want t
think of it shsll get frightened again
and feel / can't face it all. Besides
there's something else l want to say.
He began hurriedly turning over the
papers on the table. elf In
killed"
"Oh, come" said, "there's ne
question here of being killed. Duel
are fought every day abroad, and no ont
is bit tho worse. Tomorrow nigh
you'll DO laughing at your fears"
al think shall be killed." he sale
simply.
81 began letter to my mother" h
went on quietly enough; 81 don't know
how to finish it. L think I'll sign it
and get you to give it to her. I'm glaC
you're here thought there would bt
no one for me to speak to again.
He took sheet f'paper with half
filled page and wrote, then folding anC
directing it, put it in his little writing
case. "You will find it there" he said.
Sand this portmanteau, he continued
"can 20 as it is. There are some thing
in it for my little sister Maggie; / have
got them at different places I've been to
please see that she has then. And there
are some books for my eldest brother
he likes old books"
"You have brothers?" / inquired.
1.-TWO; they are both older than am,
Ny father is dead. Tic died in Ger
many we were living there at the time
that - hour 4 Gonna IN know German