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

gTimly rejoIned. I'VE shall Tight duel"
CHAPTER ".
THE DUEL.
When John Warduff and Andras Normaine
returned to the car proper, they separated as
far as the limits of the vehicle would permit.
The Frenchman was the more successful of the
two in maintaining outward composure, but the
American was fairly self-possessed, too. and
nobody but themselves and Wilton Ortley
guessed that they had fallen into an alterca-
tion. That schemer saw at a glance that some
thing violent had occurred, and he was not
greatly surprised when Wardutf, taking him
aside told lin that blow had been struck.
What is to come ofit?" he asked.
death may come of it." was the prompt
answer; and when the other smiled sarcastical-
ly, he continued: THE fellow has challenged
me to duel. He taunted me with cowardice-
with being afraid to fight in French fashion.
That is usually with fencing swords, isn't it?
The antagonists scratch each other little, or
perhaps puncture the skin, and that is all it
amounts to. l will show him how Americans
fight duels We have crossed the line into
Louisiana, haven't we? Well, we are in a
State where duels used to be common. anyhow,
and we shall have one. 1t must be With pistols"
The rapid utterance of the angry man was so
vehement, and his face showed such sup
preston of emotion, that Ortley did not for an
instant doubt the deadliness OF his intention
He simply asked when and where the meeting
would take place.
II don't stand on any French ceremony" was
the quick response. Il leave all the arrange
ments to you. You may act for both of us if
he is willing. All want is to fire at him, and
that soon."
Ortley was not loath to bring about the duel,
if only it might be done without involving him
in a breakage of the law, and murderous
hope arose in him that Warduff might be
killed, leaving a valuableand attractive widow.
He lost no time in comforting with the other
party to the proposed duel. He began by
speaking to Andras of a settlement of the diff
Guilty. but he found the Frenchman unwilling
to go half way, or any distance at all to receive
an apology
but an humble apology a hostile meeting
will satisfy my sense OF honor"
II am sorry to have to say that Mr.. Warduff
refuses absolutely to apologize. Not only that.
but he is eager to give you satisfaction. You
are the challenger? Then it is for him to
choose the weapons and place. He has already
decided that he will not night with blades"
The Frenchman lifted his brows at this. for
he had supposed that a bout with foils-a pair
of which were in use in the car by male mem
bers of the company for exercise-would be the
upshot. He had an average degree of bravery,
however, and his education had been such as
to make any avoidance of fatal issue repul-
sive.
.srhe time and placer Shall refer friend
to your"
as there a man in the company in whom you
They are not intimate with me-"
al doubt if any one of them would have any,
thing to do with duel Nor do like to. But
if you are bent on fighting. l am willing to see
to it that fairness is maintained"
You propose to act for both him and me?''
mot unless you desire it. But tell you that
dueling, even in this Southern State. is out of
seQuently suffering penalty of the law the
affair must be quietly managed"
Very well, sir. l am unused to your Ameri-
can customs. But pray be second to us both,
= Nal r1,oAo
ments you please, and you will find me
obedient."
Ortley feigned reluctance, but permitted
himself to be persuaded. He said that he
would devise plan of some feasible sort, and
let the antagonists know of it without delay.
''By the way, Mr.. Ortley," Normaine said,
"why was it that Mr.. Warduf struck me? A
blow is blow, and that is sufficient justifca-
ton for duel; but am curious to know why
he attacked me. Was it that had kissed the
hand OF Miss Delaware?"
10, that was French salutation, and meant
nothing"
"But we are in American and / fancied that
he took offense at it. remember, too, to have
frequently seen indications of intimacy be-
tween him and the lady,"
Here OItley might have explained in dozen
words that Miss Delaware was Mrs. Warduff,
and thus brought about peaceful outcome of
the fracas. But he could not bear to spoil the
chance of having Woodruff removed by an
other hand than his own. He would not havo
contemplated the commission of murder him.
self but he was willing to let another man
take the life which seemed to stand in the way
of his Schemes. So he said: "You are wrong
They are nothing to each other, further than
his being proprietor of the enterprise in which
she was the chief artist 1t was not your po-
liteness to her that angered him."
'Then what is it?'
'The lady IN rhe case is Jessie Gordon. In
passing you, he overheard you say that you had
won Miss Gordon's love. Did you know that
he cherished fondness for Jessie himself? A
fondness amounting to passion, judge, by the
violence of his jealousy"
"1t is a lie. will not belleye that she is de-
ceiving me. She is nothing to him."
~ only have his word for it. For myself
had never seen or heard anything pointing that
way. But when asked him why he had struck
you, he declared that you were meddling with
what belonged to him."
with what belonged to him?"
"Hes; his way of putting 1t was that his pro-
prietorship OF the show included Jessie by
rights"
Nornaine now had a new motive. The
offense had been up to this point a blow in the
face-Quite enough to make him demand gen.
tlemanly satisfaction; but now he was lea to
believe that the honor of his affianced wife was
assailed. Never doubling that Ortley told the
truth, he felt far deeper animosity than be-
fore toward the man who had struck him, and
felt willing enough that pistols should be used
instead of foils. Ortley read the stern deter
mination in his face, and yet felt inclined to
still further enrage him.
u should be glad if you were to use foils."
he remarked; but fear that Warduf can't be
made TO consent. He said: Tell the French
man that we are not in France, but in Lousi-
ana, where even the boys are men when 1t
comes TO fighting, and where men are never
childish" r
Let it be pistos,n was the calm response.
Fifteen inmates later Ortley brought the foes
the company in the smoking car Of the train.
~ want to dissuade YOU gentlemen from this