Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1890-08-20


PAGES from each other, and waited for
Dearaie to give the signal to fire.
"Stay y cried the bully, as his second
stepped back; 'let the young hound
listen to this. | am not trifling with
him; I shall shoot him only where he
wishes, for am generous, parbleau p
eff [ do not kill you," said Paul quiet
ly, 81 prefer to die
''Then l shoot him through the
heart" coolly observed Laroquiere
ut will teach others not to challenge
me-
There was something to me unspeak-
last words were pronounced. [ shud-
dered and looked at Paul. He smiled
at me, and at the same instant Delaraie
gave the signal.
There was but one report, for Fer
rand's pistol flashed in the pan. The
poor fellow turned round towards me
with fixed eyes and pale face, and with
the name Of Alice on his lips fell dead
Laroquiere turned on his heel and de-
parted quickly, in company with De-
1ane, while | aided the surgeon in his
brief examination of Paul's body.
| Surely enough, the bullet had passed
through his heart He must have died
almost instantaneously, for he did not
move after he fell, and the last smile
with which he had looked at me was
still upon his face. 1t was melancholy
business In every respect.
| | had to break the sad news to Alice
and her mother. and TIE two ladies
were so terribly overcome that feared
the shock would have some permanent
effect upon their health. For my part,
[ was obliged to hurry to England as
soon as possible, and Laroquiere, [
heard, also got away and remained out
of France until the affair had blown
over.
| kept up a correspondence with Mrs
Rae, and was glad after time to hear
from her that Alice, though still terri
bly, upset, had learned to look with a
certain amount of philosophy upon her
misfortune, and had to some extent re-
covered her usual health, if not her
usual spirits.
Meantime I settled down in London,
and, unable to forget my Partisan hab-
its, usually dined at one of the then
much frequented taverns in Fleet
Street. The Cheshire Cheese, which
was then in much the same state as it is
now, was my favorite haunt; and there,
as months passed by, | gradually picked
up few pleasant acquaintances, chief
among whom was an exceedingly we'll
hammered young gentleman named
Barton, a man of independent means,
good family, and frst-rate education.
One day after he had been dining
with me the conversation turned upon
continental manners and particularly
upon dueling. AS an illustration of my
adherence Of the system | told my COM
panion about poor Paul's death, a mat
ter in which Barton appeared much in
terested.
He asked me good many questions
about the parties concerned, and, after
to the effect that Laroquiere was black
guard, bid me good night. | went
home to my rooms in the Temple, and
| next day, on visiting Cheshire Cheese,
found no Barton. He had left word
with one of the walters that urgent bust
ness had called him away but that he
hoped to see me on his return.
Weeks passed, and then months, and
still Barton did not come back; and |
confess that l had begun to forget him
altogether, when one evening he
dropped into dinner as though he had
not been absent for more than a day or
two.
"Where have you been?" I asked,
after [ had heartily shaken hands with
him.
81 have been to Paris" he said. "On
arriving there [ found out a little more
than you told me about Laroquiere, and
when I had thoroughly convinced my
self that he was the BLACKBOARD you had
painted him | arranged for series of
lessons at pistol gallery.
Every day for a month [ went and
shot an hour or two, until | was SO per-
feet as to be able to hit small coin
every time at a distance of twenty
PAGES. After satisfying myself as to my
proficiency, took a box at the opera
1t may have been the same box that
you used to have. Laroquiere was
pointed out to me. He sat in the stalls,
and between the acts he left his seat in
order to speak to lady in another part
of the house.
az descended as quickly as possible
and took his place. He returned and
asked me in an overbearing tone to
move. | refused. He persisted.
struck him. He sent me challenge
ly enough, where he had killed your
friend Ferrand. Before the signal was
given [ said:
M. Laroquiere, listen to NE. [ am
not here to trifie with you; but am as
generous as you were with Paul Fer
rand. will shoot you where you wish
He turned deadly pale. we will see,'
he said, whether L shall not make you
a second Ferrand.'
"Then I will shoot you, returned,
as you shot him-through the heart. 1t
will teach other DULLES not to challenge
me- Whether he was SO upset as to be
incapable of aiming or not cannot say;
but, my dear fellow, shot him as dead
as dog, right through the heart, and
avenged your friend, at the same time
Kidding Paris of it's biggest villain. 1t
was case of diamond cut diamond"
aWell done, Barton p | exclaimed.
wait" he said, "and let me finish
the drama. We managed to keep the
matter very quiet, and before leaving
France was able to call on Mrs. Rae,
who is now at Boulogne, for ] had let
ter of introduction to her from a Paris
acquaintance. When | saw her first
she knew nothing of the affair, but at
last broke the intelligence to her and
to her daughter. [ found Alice to be a
pretty girl, somewhat paled by her long
mourning, but not very much inclined
to listen to me; but, my dear fellow, af-