Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-05

first streaks of dawn were just visible on the
horizon As Hans expressed his surprise at
the non-arrival Of the count and bis party
the sound Of wheels was heard in the distance.
/ removed the pistol case from under the seat
where Hans had placed it, and just then the
second carriage drove up, and from it ahght-
ed the count, Blessing and DR.. Spuhr. The
mutual greetings were formal and pohte.
Blessing and I soon measured the distance,
examined the weapons and completed all the
preliminaries. The principals held aloot,
quietly conversing with their respective med
ical friends.
The spot was aptly chosen for such meet
ing. 1t was located in the center OF the little
woods in an open glade, surrounded on all
sides with somber trees whose shadows cast
their grotesque shapes on the green sward,
and the scene Is indeibly stamped on my
memory. Just as the sun rose above the
neighborirg hills / handed the weapon to
Hans, and Blessing did the same service for
the count. His hand was steadier than mine
as he took the weapon. A faint smile played
on his finely chiseled lips as he said: Karl, if
ANYTHING should happen you will find a letter
in my left breast pocket addressed to you;
and now-good-by."
could not reply. My heart was too full.
A pressure Of the hand was my only fare
well. The adversaries now took their posi-
tons. Blessing stood ready to give the word
"One"
1t rang out with the dlstinctness CT a can
non shot
Two"
1 felt my senses leave me.
Three
Two simultaneous reports / saw the count
totter, then fall looked toward Hans and
my heart leaped with joy. There he stood,
calm and inmovable as if cast In bronze
The next moment saw him raise the s1nok-
ing weapon against his own breast. 1leaped
forward, but had scarcely taken two steps
when I saw him pull the trigger. A puff, a
sound, and be fell to the earth. I stood
rooted to the spot. DR.. Meyer was beside
him almost as soon as his body touched the
ground. l dragged and almost threw myself
upon the bleeding breast Of my friend. Dr..
Meyer pulled me away.
''Your friend is dead" said be, gently.
ellis aim was true In both cases"
''My dear Karl" began the letter he had
left me, whichever way this affair ends it
must end disastrously for me- II fall under
the counts fire the object Of this meeting viii
be attained, but fall must, and, If 1t must
be, by my own hand. That you may under
stand the.causes which led to such result, I
must go back some years in the history Of
my life.
81 was born in Bavaria near q small vii
lage where our estates were situated. My
father and his father before him wasted an
immense inheritance, and when I reached my
majority my patrimony scarcely reached
1000 marks Before that time ! scarcely
valued money, as my needs were always sup
piled; but now 1 awoke to the fact that I
was a beggared nobleman. My father
placed rich marriage to my view to re-
trieve our fallen fortunes. refused to lend
myself to the scheme Ny father stormed;
remained obdurate. The consequence was q
quarrel and final separation. The cause of
my obstinacy was young girl Of the village
whom loved devotedly. Adele was Of hum
BILE parentage, but endowed with the charms
a duchess would envy. When left the cas-
tie repaired to the inn of the village. A
note dispatched by the smart servant maid
brought Adeleto our old trysting place, and
in an hour we had hidden farewell to home
and friends forever. Next day we were mar
ried. / was as perfectly happy as my heart
could wish. The only cloud that disturbed
my dream Of bliss was that concealment of
my marriage was necessary. About six
months after our marriage my regiment
was transferred to Spandau. l left Wur-
temburg alone, intending to send for my
wife as soon as I was established in
nv new quarters From Spandau
wrote at once upon my arrival and re-
ceived tender reply by the next mail After
that the answers to my letters came less reg
ularly, and one day they ceased entirely. I
at once obtained furlough, and, as speedily
as | could, fastened back to Wurtemburg. A
terrible revelation awaited me. Ny wife had
eloped. My rage you can picture, but my
agony and shame you cannot imagine. L
traversed the country in unsuccessful pursuit.
Her paranour was young Italian painter,
who occupied studio near our lodgings. l
borrowed money and secured Italy. At Pa
lermo found a clew, and followed them to
Perrucio, a small village in the interior, but
there all trace of them was lost. l returned
to my regiment, which, In the mean time,
had been transferred to Berlin. My hfe's
dream was ended, and revenge was the only
passion ! nursed. My days were q weary
monotony. I never laid my eyes on Adele
again until that January night. Adele Won
Metz, my wife, and Adele de Gichy, the
cyprian and thief, were the same. The meet
ing was so sudden and unexpected that it
paralyzed my faculties and she escaped my
vengeance. have grown tired of existence,
and so good-by. If ever you should meet one
Giovanni Milletti, an Italian painter, remem-
har vour unfortunate friend HANS"
L. Ni,,n;r,1,nfi Er,n1iirnr