Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-11-14
STORY OF A DUEL.


81 remember it, said our old friend, '.as
though it had happened yesterday. I was a
youngster then; | am getting TO be an old
man now, but shall never forget it--never.
Poor lad, poor ladl'
was about Internationally, and on my
travels for the first time In leisurely
fashion had traversed France and Belgium.
and crossing the German frontier had
reached and taken up my abode for twenty
four hours in a small town with a river and
a bridge; a confused mass of red rooted
houses, with sheltering forest covered hills
that favored and shut in its remoteness from
the common highway. II was one of those
places whose antique air, inherited straight
from the Middle Ages, charms and invites the
passer by; the inn charmed me also, a gabled
house ON the old market place, with a
fruitful garden reaching down to the river
at the back. The town was not unknown to
tourists, but lying apart from the usual
track, 1t was little. frequented: and for one
reason or another the inn, when | arrived.
was almost empty. IL depended for its pros
perity, however, less ON the custom OF passing
strangers than on its clientele Of commercial
travellers, and on the excellent ordinary it
provided for the townspeople and the officers
OF the small town garrison. The table d'hote,
l found-for my stay was prolonged from
the one day had proposed TO four or Ave
was always full The guests came dropping
In one by one, hanging each his cloak and hat
on q peg by the door, and with n friendly
greeting TO ono and another, took each his
accustomed seat at the liberal board Each
tucked n napkin under his chin; men and
maids few round the table; a clatter Of
l.4.s
me, don't know why; through its novelty,
suppose
On tho evening Of the second day. return
ing from some excursion in the neighborhood,
too late for the public meal, my supper was
served In small room ad joining the salle-a-
manger A door communicated between tho
two apartments; il was closed, but n sound
OF talking acquainted me that though the
table d'hote might be over, the guests were
not yet all dispersed. Some dispute was APP
parently in progress / could distinguish no
worts; the speakers, as judged, were at the
further end OF the long adjoining room; but
the raised and vehement voices. a sort Of
angry clamor, rising and falling, argued a
quarrel of some kind Presently the clamor
fell; the voices died away, amid a scraping of
chairs on the wooden floor; silence succeeded.
had nearly finished my supper, coffee had
been brought, and | was preparing TO light a
cigar, when the door between the rooms was
thrown open and young man entered.
Without noticing nay presence, he flung HIM
self into a chair against the wall and sat
motionless.
he was mere lad, not above twenty, de
cided, on considering him more attentively,
q boy with light, shining hair, fair com
plexion and girlish delicacy OF feature; a
faint yellow mustaehe alone testified to his
manhood. lie was dressed in a light colored
tourist suit; there was nothing remarkable
An his appearance, nothing to distinguish
him especially frcm any other fresh young
fellow abroad on his travels; but something
In his attitude as he sat without movement
in the chair into which he had flung himself,
arrested my attention. He sat with his legs
stretched out, his hands thrust into his pock-
cts, his head dropped on his breast His
face, which should naturally, | imagine,
wear the pink and white complexion
proper 20 fair haired youth, was empty
OF even a tnge Of color, his brows were
drawn together; no looked miserable, over
whelmed, desperate; could not tell how he
looked He might, conjectured, have been
losing money IN some bet or game OF chance
Ia man who has left his fortune at n gam
bling table might wear just such an express
&fOn- TWICE Il tnDubnt u AuuIeNeiuR hlits
but was deferred by his complete uncon-
sciousness Of my presence and by my igno-
rance OF his nationality: for had no better
skill In languages thnn an imperfect knowi-
edge OF French and still more stumbling
acquaintance with German. | finished my
coffee, therefore, in silence, and as he still
made no sign, took up my hat and silently
left the ROOM
On the way through the hall, accosted
the gray haired head waiter, an old man,
grown old In the service of the inn, and
asked him II he knew anything about the
young fellow. He was an Englishman, the
man answered; and opened the visitors
books to show me his name His name was
there. Charles Holmes, Of Foxholme, Surrey,
England, and Magdalen college, Oxford. he
had arrived the previous night; he had come
from Frankfort; he was on his way to Brus-
sels-ail this Inscribed with boyish love of
detail in q round, boyish hand. He was .
fellow countryman then, and alone appar-
entity; for, with the exception of my own
name, none other of English nationality
appeared on the list for many days
back. His pale look as he dropped into hs
chair passed before my eyes. Almost
turned back into the little parlor 10 speak
20 him; and wish had-f wish TO heaven
had--all might have turned out,iifferently.
But the indomitable stupidity ana reserve Of
an Englishman stood IN my way, and instead
OF going back addressed the waiter again.
Had there besn any quarrel, | inquired,
among the guests at the supper table that
EVENING" lie shrugged his shoulders. Pos
sibIy--possibly.s he said; .'he had heard
RAISED voices, be- had not been in the room.
Thess gentlemen tniaaning tho officers often
had disputes among themselves. No one