Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1890-05-08

any part but yours. l saw you fold
her to your bosom-you must fight me-"
''Name your man! mine shall meet
him. said Eugene.
No seconds are needed Missed
Lavere through his clinched teeth.
THE moon is just rising, and will give
US all the light we need. Are you pre-
pared?"
Il am" replied Eugene, in strange
and unnatural tone.
Il will stand here; you may choose
your stand. The village clock will
strike twelve in moment. At its last
stroke we both fire together. DOES that
suit you?"
1t will be assassinati on,'' said Eu-
gene. land it does not please me-"
Then l will shoot you down in your
tracks, as l would dog" said Lavere,
''and 1 will say that you insulted my
betrothed wife"
Then if l kill you, your blood be
upon your own head" replied Eugene, as
he took his position, twenty PAGES away.
Lavere laughed scornful laugh as
Lax moved away.
There is still time for you to set an
other hour" said Eugene quietly.
And time for you to sneak away"
replied Lavere. But l shall not give
you the opportunity"
The clock began to strike. In silence
they counted the strokes that came from
the old belfry. At the last stroke both
fired, and Eugene Lax fell forward on
his face. Lavere rushed to him. He
was senseless. and the blood was gush.
! l.
Lax's snowy linen was already stained
crimson, but Lavere had no pity.
With an oath he lifted the body OF
the youth in his arms and carried ii
beyond the huts of the field hands and
laid it down behind small, moscow
cred bank near the running stream.
a few moments later, had he watched
he could have seen pair of glaring
eyes protruding above the low hedge,
only a few yards away. Yes, ''Old
Aunt Silvey'' was witness to the
whole affair. But what could she do:
Well, wait and see.
There is some thing very strange q bout
the disappearance of Eugene Lax"
many were saying the following day.
And a few days later anxious search
was made, but no clew could be OBJ
tanned. Two weeks passed-a third
and yet no one could solve the mystery
concerning the disappearance of the
young man, and those who loved him
were given up to despair.
Elsie, pale as marble roamed about
her fathers house like a ghost, and of
fered no opposition to the arrangements
being made for the approaching mar
riage to Felix Lavcre.
y few days later, it was the evening
before the marriage on the next day.
Elsie was all smiles. She had made no
effort to break the engagement And
while sitting with Felix she proposed
taking stroll down the walks of the
garden. The night was a lovely one,
and Felix felt duty bound to offer her
his arm. while old Aunt Silvey" fol-
lowed close behind.
They had reached the roSe-mvrtle
bush where Lavere stood when he fired
the fatal shot. Here they paused: why,
they knew not. And for the first time
in his life Felix Lavere felt a thrill of
superStitious terror run through his
veins.
He would gladly. have fled the would
be haunted spot, but Elsie stood calm,
and, breaking into Il merry laugh, said:
why. Felix, you look as if You had
seen ghost. What is the matter?"
My coming happiness has furnished
many thoughts, " replied Lavere.
But you were gazing towards the
woods, as though you saw some one"
said Elsie.
81 certainly see some one coming this
way" he replied. as he gazed with
startled eyes towards the stream.
do you not see that man?' said La
we're, pointing in the direction of the
little messy bank.
Il see no one at ALL said Elsie.
There, right before YOU" said La
we're, shrinking back.
''Ain't no man here. sah." said Aunt
Silvey. you're dreamin'!"
My God." gasped Lavere; for he
plainly saw before him the figure OF
Eugene LaX-thin, pale, and his golden
curls falling over his shoulders, with
his hand on his side as though pointing
to the wound he had received. You
see him now," gasped the wretched
Lavere.
NO; l see nothing" replied Elsie.
The figure stood motionless in the
moonlight.
Murderer" Laverc heard it murmur.
softly.
1T was a duel. We fought fairlyw
shrieked Lavere. Il did not murder
you,'
The figure retreated slowly toward
the wood, then turned. and in an in
slant was again within u few feet of La
we're. But it did not speak to him. In
silence it approached Elsie. and taking
her hand. waved to Lavere. as though
desiring his withdrawal from the spot
Seeing the ghost lead away his dear
Elsie and vanish into the wood. Lavere
needed no further warning. In an
instant he was gone, and since that hour
has not been seen near the little village
of Cloverdale.
However. there was wedding the
next day at the Warren mansion. But
the bridegroom was Eugene Lax-not
Felix Lavere.
Old Aunt Silvey, who witnessed the
of the body by Lavere, after
the shooting found Lax not dead, but
and carried him to a hut
near by and nursed him back to life.
And the little scene which has just been
played was concocted by the lovers to
rid themselves of Felix Lavere, in
which, you see, they have been success
full.
Having heard the truth, Captain War
rem aided in the plot, and now ''all is as
merry, etc" .'WANDERING JIM"