Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1890-06-02
THE FIELD OF HONOR.

now A DUELIdsT wAvERED BETWEEN
DEGRADATION AND LOVE OF WIFE AND
CHILD.
Tin late novel, Pierre Decourcelle, the
Frence author, places his hero, a veteran
duellist, in the position of choosing be-
tween degradation and love of his wife
and children while waiting to fight a
duel. 1t is an interesting psychological
study, and is thoroughly dramatic, and
true to nature in its termination.
at is all arranged. said Clavignac, in
a loud voice, entering the cafe where
Fougeret, surrounded by the usual group
of journalists and other professional men
who frequented the place, was awaiting
his friends return; pistols at twenty
PAGES; firing to continue until result is
reached.
Good, said Fougeret, calmly; "and
the rendezvous?
Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, ON
the Vezinet race-course. You will go
with us to Asnieres. Order me a car
riage for eight o'clock, and be sure to
have the driver we had in the last affair.
He viii bring us luck.
Agreed.
sand do not forget the doctor. Leave
the pistols to me; have new set, and
it will be an excellent opportunity to try
them.
Il leave it all to you"
And, after warmly pressing Clayignac's
hand, Fougeret nodded hasty adieu to
his friends and quilted the room.
"A cool hand, that Fougeret, re-
marked the sporting editor of morning
paper, in knowing manner.
"Yes, very cool, came in a chorus
from the little group, as if their COM
rade's courage in some way redounded TO
their own credit.
We'll he ought to be, declared Claw
ignac, pouring out glass of absinthe;
~he is familiar with the situation if /
count right this is his fourth affair.
"Indeed?" returned the Journalist, re-
spectfully; Il must put him down for my
next article ON the swordsmen of Paris.
BY this time it was five o'clock. The
young man walked toward the Madeleine,
keeping step to lively operate air that
he carelessly whistled until he reached
the swarm of public carriages which
crowd the streets of that quarter. Keep
ing in mind his friends recommendation
touching the seleetion of driver, he
hunted up the carriage mascot, and in
structed him to call for Clavignac at
eight ON the following morning. After
attending to this matter, he directed his
footsteps toward the Saint -Laxare sta
ton.
The preparatory details did not appear
to move him; he knew them all. Every
affair was the same, and as he walked
along he ran over in his mind the details
of the duels he had already been engaged
in. The first had been seven years
earlier at Savigny Ore, where he
made his journalistic debut on one of the
local papers. Espousing the candidacy
of the celebrated banker Noiryille, the
young journalist found himself arrayed
in fierce opposition to the Legitimist
organ. The controversy wound up on
the field, where he was wounded, but
Noirville, elected by 1000 majority, re-
wartled his follower with the assurance
of his protection.
The second arose in the Bourse, where
he appeared as Noirville's secretary. His
jealous interest in his patron won rapid
success that soon involved him in dis
pute with jealous colleague who sought
q quarrel and found q sword thrust.
The third occurred several years before
the affair he was just entering on, and
close on its heels came the ruin of his
patron, Noirville, whose speculations ter
minated with sudden crash With the
bankers fall went all his secretary's pros
poets, and Fougeret's little fortune dis
appeared in the whirlpool The young
man, at first despondent, quickly rallied
from the blow, and set himself to work
to recover the ground he had lost. BE
had others to think of beside himself
hts courageous little wife, whom he had
welded IN the days Of smiling prosperity,
and who clung to him closer than ever
during his misfortune. The thought Of
her and his two toddIing children served
to stimulate his efforts and strengthen
him In the struggle for existence.
Thanks to his relations with Noirville,
Fougeret knew number Of journalists,
and through the kindness Of one Of them
the doors Of a review were opened to the
young writer, whose first series Of con-
fributions received marked approval from