The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-07
biuu today that 7 would be his wife. >

|
loved, very, very much, and
"As . brotherr mnttered Pierre, with
bitter, desperate emphasizes broth
err And he turned and left the girls
presence without another word.
She made q movement "a # to follow
him. but he had passed down the steps
and cut of the gate with kmg strides,
like some actor in zneaodrana.
Her first thought was Of danger to
Honore Chauvin; for in those days the
hot French blood rarely cooled without
first having boiled over in deadly fight.
What Pierre Nation did was to 60
straight to bis friend Honere Chauvin
and slap him in the face
''That for Marie de Noyantr' he ex-
claimed. still choking with the desperate
choler excited by his sense of defeat.
''That for your ne went on, repeating
the insulting blow Then he turned and
left Honore, wei1 knowing what would
follow.
The challenge was promptly sent and
as promptly accepted.
The following morning at little past
sunrise the com mbatants, with their sec
onds and surgeons, met In small open
space where two or three little wildwood
roads, dim and struggling, crossed each
other in the forest part of what was then
known as the Toulme plantation. They
were to fight with swords.
The weapons were measured, positions
chosen, the word given, and the fight to
the death was begun by thin, keen,
far reaching clink of steel crossing steel.
Many time had these young men,
now eager for each others blood, fenced
in manly play, and wen did both know
h:w equally were they matched, and
how doubtful was the outcome of the
struggle they were beginning. Both
were pale, but cool and wary; in their
eyes burned the hateful fire of unforgig-
ing anger. The seconds stood aside, 81
lently but intently gazing on; the sur
geons, a little farther away, held their
bandages and instruments ready.
Honore Chauvin, to do him justice, did
not wish to kill Pierre Nation, but
meant, if he could, to disable him. This,
however, was not so easy, for Pierre,
eager to slay, and burning with rage of
disappointed passion, was fighting like a
mad tiger, and yet with supreme vigi-
lance and art.
Their swords cut the air with Kissing
swiftness and filled the space with a
clangor and shower Of spiteful sparks
that might well have stilled all the wild
songs Of the birds in the woods round
about. Once the keen point Of Pierre's
rapier barely touched Honore's throat,
letting the least show of blood. In turn
Pierre felt tingling scratch on his own
breast, but this exchange Of touches
only shot into the fight new access of
energy. AS the exercise began to steady
their excited nerves and lend suppleness
to their leaping muscles they redoubled
their efforts, and Honore forgot his re-
solve to only wound Pierre, while Pierre
felt his desire to kill swell into a steady,
deadly tempest of passion.
Again and again each of the combat
ants received slight wounds, mere
scratches; but neither appeared able to
break the others guard or to find an un-
defended point, such touches as they
had given and received being more the
result of close fighting than of advantage
either way. But no matter how young
and strong they were, or how expert,
this could not last very long. The tre-
mendous strain was sure to tell. Who
would fail first and permit the other to
make the fatal pass?
They were painting now, and the white
foam was gathering on their purple lips.
Their eyes, starting and glaring with
concentrated fury, were fixed and ter
rible in their animal expression. 1t was
as if these two men, so lately friends
and almost brothers, were ready to man
gle and devour each other like savage
wild beasts.
Happily the time when such things
could be has gone by, but it is by keep
ing record of those strange acts that we
are able to understand the growth of
our present civilization. The duel lin
gered longer in the south than in the
north, and especially in the low country
did it last without much sign of passing
away till some time after the close of
our great war. Looking back now we
can scarcely realize that only half a
century ago it was a common occurrence
for two men to do what we are witness
ing between Honore Chauviu and Pierre
Nation.
So much was dueling part of the life
of the people in the early years of the
present century that in some parts of our
country to refuse a challenge was TO in
vste social ostracism, and not to give and
not to give one on fit occasion WAS sure
to attract contempt.
The seconds and the surgeons stood by
so wrapped In contemplation OF the even
handed fight. so engrossed in watching
the leaping blades, and SO forgetful OF
everything save this play of death, that
they did not hear the sound of wheels
and the rapid beating of flying horses
Ieet. As Tor the principals, they would
not have heard if thunderbolt had
fallen at their feet. They were now
fighting in the last squirt of strength be-
fore one or the other must fail. Each
felt that if his antagonist held up few
minutes longer all would be over. Tne
reflection of this thought set terrible
light in their drawn and haggard faces.
The muffied sound of wheels in the
sand and of the furious fight of horse
came nearer and nearer. The seconds
leaned forward as the intensity 81 their
sympathy with their principals seemed
to shrivei them, as if with heat; the sur
geons unconsciously drew closer to the
painting. laboring dueiists-
Honore Chau~in at this moment made