Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-13
''What would you have me dog"

bled.
Because if you do not you will be
what you called him." i
''Deediei'
felt wise like grip on my arm, and |
found myself awakened. A strapping |
youngster about my own age, with a |
box under his arm, was visible in the |
glimmer of early dawn.
Never mind the girl" he said: get |
up"
What girl?"
THE one you've been calling in your
sleep. Your girl is locked up for the |
present"
The laugh that accompanied his words |
Jared upon me, scarcely awakened from
my vivid cream.
''Where?' l asked, bewildered.
''In here" and he tapped with his
finger on the box.
Eyes, yes, l see."
threw off the covering and sprang up.
There is the policeman walking on the
same beat, his saber swinging, his head
thrown back. But where is the child?
1 scan the different groups near me. No.
She isn't here. l should know her among
thousand children.
But that eventful morning. We
two, my friend and myself, walked
briskly along a road. 1t was daylight,
though the sun was not yet up. The
country smelled fresh and sweet The
birds were about, preparing breakfast
for their young; chirping loudly, and
somewhat discordantly, it scenes to me
in my peculiar state of mind a cart
man came driving along the road in his
cart, which was loaded with cabbages.
He saw the box under my friends arm,
and eyed US suspiciously. With the in
stinct of one living near German uni
versity town he scented the truth.
$50! my young gentlemen" he called
to US as he passed; this is no padded,
masked work. This is the real thing?"
I'VE are going a-fshing," said my
friend.
Admitting, rather" said the buck
ster, with grin.
| We hurried on. 1t was getting late.
l could not divest myself of the feeling
that beside me walked figure. Wheth-
er l walked fast or whether 1 walked
slow it kept pace with me, ever turning
upon me pair of blue eyes, and kept
saying: Would you kill him because
you insulted him? because you struck
him."
Would kill him? l was an excellent
shot; he was bungler. 1 had tried to
make him a better, but he was too
clumsy He could handle neither foil
nor pistol, and hadn't the delicacy of
sight or touch to learn.
Suddenly we turned aside into a wood.
I'm here, said the young athlete who
guided me, vaulting fence.
l followed him, and we passed through
a thicket and out into an open space ON
the bank of the river. There stood my
friend of the day before, now my enemy,
with his tawny English beard, fresh
complexion and blue eyes. Beside him
stood a companion and a medical stu
dent, the latter looking very important.
with his arms folded, and his short,
high shouldered body perched on pair
of long, thin legs He was staring
through his glasses at Us.
l cast glance at my adversary's face.
He was calm and resolute. l saw as
plainly as words could have told me the
condition of his mind. Besides, l knew
him well. His nature was eminently
|
ter-of-fact nan | ever knew, yet honest
and steadfast at heart. He had deter
mined that he must kill me. or would
kill him: and he had decided to kill me
if he could.
We were not on the field ten minutes.
The distance was paced. was handed
my pistol and sent to my station. The
word was given.
But other words sounded in my ears
with the signal to fre-the words spoken
to me by Decide in my dream.
Both shots rang out as one, sharp and
spiteful on The quiet morning air. pur-
posely fired aside from the living mark
, before me- My adversary stood unhurt
had bullet in my side.
saw fgure striding toward me- II
looked strange and tall and indistinct,
but l knew 1t was my adversary.
care you satisfedT' l asked.
Satisfied! Good God, are you badly
hurt
1T was all my fault" l extended my
hand. He attempted to take it, but the
seconds interfered. 1--WE haven't time
for palaver; we must get away from here
at once A carriage in which the medi
cal student mad come to the ground stood
in the road near by. l was hurried int
it or rather carried, for l was fainting
The doctor and my second got in will
me, and we drove to my rooms. Thu
others hurried off in different direction
All that morning lay on my bed, ex
periencing mental, if not physical, con
valescence. had been badly wounded
but this was nothing. My hot head ha'
been turned into gentler veins of thought
had been saved from a bitter memory
a fiend that would have pursued m
through life. was in an ecstacy whel
l realized that had not killed my frien'
that my hands were bloodless. l wa
thinking of the diminutive shield whic
| had bean thr11st between me and Grim