Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-15

|
"Ouite impossible" echoed Normaine.
"You are agreed then, that shall act as sec
ond to both?'
They nodded assent.
s'Then, if there must be fight, let 1t be man
aged as shall explain. We must not get int
trouble with the law. The duel must not b'
| recognizable as such. L have thought II over
and devised plan thatwill answer the purpos'
beyond doubt. The new play which we are
preparing to produce has duel scene, you re
member. Well, we have rehearsal of tina
| episode in our car. There will be an accident
One of the pistols used will prove to be loaded
with a bullet as well as powder to our grea
"6niy one pistol with bullet in it?" ex
"Is that according to American custom?" tht
| other antagonist inquired.
ait would not do to have two bullets fired.
persisted Ortley "That would reveal the affair
as a duel 1 will load two single barrelet
| pistols, which have in my trunk, one with ;
perfect cartridge. the other with cartrlagt
from which 1 shall remove the bullet; l vii
| Law the two weapons under handkerchief ant
you will draw at random. Neither VIII know
winch has the bullet That will be FAR to both
will subject you to equal risk and Will put YOU
| bravery to an equal test
agreed" said Warduff
And it is satisfactory to me-" said Nor
maine.
will stop at a station for dinner. The company
will go into the restaurant for their meal.
will remain in the car, load the pistols as have
| indicated and wait a few minutes for you tt
| quit the dinner and report there. Ihus we
| shall have the car to ourselves"
| The train reached the restaurant station. ano
| the theatrical company joined the otner pas
sengers in taking possession of the tables. Nc
more than five minutes elapsed, however, pc
| fore Normaine and Warduff left their scarcely
| tasted food and returned to the private parlol
car. There they found Ortley with two pistol;
| in his hands.
"You are still determined tofight"" he asked
Getting an affirmative bow from each, he con
| tinued: Il have loaded these pistols, as ex
| planned, with a bullet in one and a harmless
| charge in the other. l will lay them on the
| floor underneath my handkerchief, ana ne
| did So
Up to this point he had not thought of any
thing else than giving to each combatant fail
| chance, but suddenly the desire flashed into
| his brain to make sure that the bullet should
| be fred at Warduff. Why not do it? His
hands were still on tine pistols underneath the
overspread handkerchief, and he knew that il
| was in his right hand that the bullet-loaded
pistol was held. was 1t not IlKely lnae @ eacn
| man would take the weapon nearest to him:
Thus hastily considering he took care to leave
| the deadly pistol nearest the edge OF the hand
kerchief toward Normaine. Thus depositing
| them, he withdrew his hands.
"They are ready for you, gentlemen"
As he had expected. they took the nearest
| weapons, and he knew to 4 certainty that the
! dangerous one was possessed by the French
man.
You will stand at the very furthest ends OF
| the car with your backs toward each other.
| will count one two three. When | say three
you are to turn and fire at will. Does that suit
| your
| Again they silently nodded their assent
They took their positions as directed.
One" ortley began. After a pause. he
| called, Two"
The door close to Normaine was thrown
| open, and Helen Delware entered. She heard
| the words uttered by Ortley, and instantly sur
missed the truth. She caught the pistol from
Norm aine's hand.
This is a duel" she exclaimed.
"Only mimic one," Ortley said; I'VE are re
hearsing the duel scene of our new play"
| But the woman was not to be deceived. The
| aspect of the three men was far too grave anc
| determined to let her believe that they were
| merely rehearsing mock fight. Besides, why
should her husband, not an actor. be taking a
role? Ortley's plan might have deceived the
| officers of the law and the general public, but
not any actual spectator of the occurrence
/ She suffered Ortley to take the pistol from her
| but she ran through the car to Wardutf.
| My husband" she cried. what does this
mean? Are you fighting with this man because
you are jealous of him! Upon my soul you
have no cause for that, 1 love you"
And you deny your love Tor that man?' and
| he pointed toward the Frenchman.
There is none to deny. There never has
| been. How could you think SO? He is engaged
| to marry Jessie Gordon"
THAT is true" Normaine said. ut is only
Miss Gordon whom love. or who loves me-"
| OrtIey realized that his scheme had demOl-
| ished itself, and. anxious now only TO conceal
| his own craft in the matter, he soothinsly
| said There is misunderstanding, it seems;
| Miss Delware has announced, what none OF
you know, that she is Miss Warduff: and it
seems that you, Mr.. Normaine, are to become
| the husband of Miss Gordon. All the Jealousy
seems to be unfounded. Mr.. Warduff will
| apologize for his blow, no doubt"
Readily" Warduff exclaimed, extending
his hand, which Normaine accepted. Il was
%11;e nrf1o hot Won ayin,O
| court to my wife. That was my provocation-
| let it be my excuse"
Il will do So" replied the Frenchman; land
turned ips psayagely upon ortley. you have ave lied
to me. You told me that Mr.. Wardutf had
maligned my tiancee."
(which really never did," said Warduff
Then, Ortley, it is between you and me that
the duel must be fought"
He took from Warduff the pistol for which
that gentleman now had no further use and
strobe to the further end of the car, taking his
place in readiness for an exchange of shots
with his new adversary. Ortley knew that he
himself held the pistol containing bullet. and
therefore was not averse to becoming duelist,
since it could be done with safety to himself.
But at this juncture his assurance was sudden
ly and Unexpectedly displaced by peril.
Neither of you know which is the loaded
weapon" said Wardutf, who was now ready to
suspect Ortley of any possible trlckery; ''but it
was you, Ortley, who arranged them for us to
draw from under the handkerchief. 1t would
not look well If you were to fire without new
drawing of the pistols Let me take them"
He took the weapons from the hands of the
two men, spread his handkerchief over them
as had been done before, and bade them draw.
Ortley was too cowardly to shrink from the
ordeal. 1t takes bravery, sometimes, to ac-
knowledge oneself a scoundrel, and he was a
murderous one. He turned pale, but firmly
withdrew one of the pistols, as did Normaine,
and both stood at the ends of the car, ready for
Warduff to give the word.
AS for Helen. she dashed out in quest of aid
to stop the duel. But before she had time to
give an alarm the two pistol shots were heard,
and the car was Immediately filled by excited
people. They saw Ortley lying wounded on the
floor. He had fallen by his own trickery. and
it was no more punishment than he well de-
served, for the wound was serious, without
being fatal. He was left behind, when the CON-
pany resumed their Journey, to regain his
health in a hospital, but never, of course to re-
sumo the business management of Helen Del
ware. When asked by the local officials for an
explanation of the occurrence, he agreed with
the other two men in declaring that it was an
accident, happening during rehearsal of a
duel scene in play.