The Red Cloud chief., 1889-05-03

A9n0ue Dssaa.1 $3.50 asso Dssdse's
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s:pass On ahead" said an arrogant.
Aasal voice. tho voice OF the Prince
6'Athia.
He u right" said Paul Ast-er;
s'they are going to prepare q way .or
~"
The wheels touched on the narrow
rod. tho witnesses bowed. the physi-
clans exchanged fraternal smiles.
Then, q the coupe passed. there could
b econ behind tho clear glass. raised
IN spite Of the heat. q mOrose. immov-
able profile, the Prince d'Athis. pale as
. corpse.
Hell be paler yet in an hour. when
they bring him back with his body
uierced." thought Paul. and he clearly
imaGined his play. feint the second,
then straight down between the third
and fourth ribs.
Did tho Prince d'Athis. whom tho
doctor was assisting to roll up his
sleeves, hear these words? Wa it tho
sight Of that supple. 1.-the and vigor-
Gus fellow who advanced. his round
arms and neck uncovered, a pitiless
dissemination In his eye? The fact is
hat the whole face of the Prince
d'Athis suddenly changed. took an
earthly hue. and showed under his
beard. which dropped as If his jaw
were unlocked, the hideOus grimace
of fear. Nevertheless he stood up and
came valiantly enough TO time.
"Ready. gentlemen!
Yes. we suffer for our sins. The
Prince d'Athis had the innate cOnvic-
ton Of this before that i~mplacablo
point which sought him. met his at a
distance and seemed to ase him here
and there only to strike him more
surely. Paul Astior was trying to kill
him, that was evident He felt the
pressing danger envelop him. the at
mosphere about him seemed upset by
tho light of a dream. tho great sky
seemed to fly from him; he saw the
frightened silhouettes OF the witnesses.
the doctors. even to the wild gestures
of tho two stable boys frightening
with their caps some bounding horses
who wanted to draw near and look on.
Suddenly violent. brutal voices:
'Enough!-Enough!-Stop!"
What has happened? The danger Is
past the sky has stopped moving.
things wear their natural cOlors and
stand in their right places But ut his
feet upon the furrowed and upturned
soil there extends a large pool Of
blood, which blackcns the yellow
earth. md within In lies Paul Astier,
bleeding like a pig, his naked neck
pierced from side TO side. In the
frightened silence OF the catastrophe
tho shrill noise of insects sounds from
the distant meadows. and grouped at a
little distance the horses elongate their
noses in curiosity toward the still body
Of the vanquished.
And yet the defeated man knew q
good deal about the sword. His fin.
gers, solidly set against tho guard,
made splendid play with tho shining
blade; while the other one. standing
before him, twirlcd like . frightened
turnspit.
How did it happen? They will say.
and the evening papers will repeat it
after them. and tomorrow all Paris
will repeat 1t after the papers. that
Paul Astier slipped in making q feint
and impaled himself; they will tell it
with the most exact details But, in
tho events Of lifc, is not the precision
Of our words in inverse ratio to the |
exactness Of our knowledge. For both
spectators and combatants something |
vailed and confused always surrounds
tho decisive minutc-that minute when |
destiny came in and struck n final.
blow contrary to all expectation and
all logic-destiny hidden in that same
dark cloud that always cnveloped the
denoucment of Homeric combats.