Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-08-08


much as an exclamation"
He promised readily, and when ]
ioiDed the Marquis he followed, carry
ing my case Of pistols.
'He can be trusted, suppose?" asked
D'Avencourt, glancing keenly at him
while shaking hands cordially with me.
ITO the DEATH" replied, laughingly.
"He will break his heart II he is not al
lowed to bind up my woundsl"
al see you are IN good spirits, Conte,"
remarked Captain Freccia as We took our
seats in the carriage. 1T Is always the
way with the man who Is In the right.
Ferrari, l fear, is not quite so comforta-
ble."
And he proffered me cigar, which
accented. Just as VIC were about to start
the fat landlord OF the hotel rushed
towards us, and laying hold Of the car.
rage "Eccellenza," he observed
in confidential whisper, 10 course this
Is only matter OF coffee aud glorias
They will be ready for you all on your
return. know understand !" And
he smiled and nodded great many
times, and laid his finger knowingly on
the side OF his nose. We laughed heart
lily, assuring him that his perspicuity
was wonderful, and he stood on the
broad steps in high good l'umor. watch
ing US as our vehicle ru:abled heavily
away.
Evidently" remarked. "he does not
consider duel as a serious affair"
"Not he !" replied Freccia. HE has
known OF too many sham fights to be
able to understand real one. D'Aven-
court knows something about that,
too, though lac always kills his man.
But very often II is sufficient TO
scratch one another with the sword
point so as to draw a quarter OF o drop
OF blood. and honour satisfied! Then
the coffee and the glorias are brought,
as suggested by our friend the landlord"
at is q ridiculous age, said the Mar
quis, taking his cigar from his mouth,
and complacently surveying his small,
supple white hand, thoroughly ridicu-
lous, but / determined II should never
make fool OF me. You see, my dear
Conte, nowadays duel Is very fire.
auently decided with swords rather
than pistols, and why? Because cow
ards fancy 1t is much more difficult to
kill with the sword. But not at oil.
Long ago l made up my mind that no
man should continue to live who dared
to insult me. ! therefore studied
sword play as an art. And assure you,
1t is simple matter to kill with the
sword-remarkably simple. My oppo-
nents are astonished at the ease with
which despatch them!'
Freccia laugh",.. "De Hamal is pu-
pill OF yours. MAJ Ills, is he not?"
II regret to =. yes He is marvel
lousy clumsy. have often earnestly
requested him eat his sword rather
than handle so boorishly. Yet he
kills his men, to-, but In butcher-like
Numerically without grace or refine
ment. should say he was about on a
par with our two associates, Ferrari's
seconds"
reused myself from o reverie into
which had fallen.
"What men are they?" inquired.
lone calls himself the Capitano Cia-
BATH, the other Cavaliere Dursi. ut your
SERVICE" answered Freccia indifferently.
GOOD swearers both, and hard drinkers
filled with stock-phrases, such as our
distinguished dear friend Ferrarl,
wrongs which can only be wiped ont by
blood'-all bombast and braggadocio!
These fellows would US soon be on one
side us the other"
He resumed mis- smoking, and we all
three lapsed into silence. The drive
seemed very long, though in reality the
distance was not great At last we
passed the Casa Ghirlande, superb
chateau belonging to distinguished no.
bleman, who in former days had been o
friendly neighbOr to me, and then our
vehicle jolted down gentle declivity
which sloped into o small valley, where
there was goOd-sized piece OF smooth,
fiat greensward. From this spot could
be family discerned the castellated tur-
rets OF my own house, the Villa RomanL
Here we came to standstill. Vincenzo
jumped briskly down from his seat be-
side the coachman and assisted us to
alight. The carriage then drove of to
retired corner behind some trees. We
surveyed the ground, and saw
that as yet only one person
besides ourselves had arrived.
This was the surgeon, dapper
good humoured little German, who spoke
bad French and worse Italian, and who
shook hands cordially with us all. On
learning who was he bowed low and
smiled very amiably. 1.-THE best l can
offer to you, Signor," he said, sis that
you may have no occasion for my
s'N,'lces. You have reposed YourselfP
That is well-sleep steadies the nerves.
Ach! you shiverl True, 1t is, the morn
ing is cold"
/ did indeed experience o passing
shudder, but not because the air was
chilly. 1t was because l felt certain, so
terribly certain, of killing the man l
had once loved we'll. Almost ! wished l
could also feel that there was the slight
est possibility Of his killing me, but, no!
all my instincts told me there was no
cnance OF this. / had q sort Of sick pain
at my heart, and as thought Of her, the
jewel-eyed snake who had wrought
all the evil, my wrath against
her incraasad tenfold won