The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-11-15

ed like bursting with it. He tried to
speak, but could not.
"Be calm. my dear Bismarck; cannot
this be settled otherwise?" .'No, no."
said he in a voice full of indignant pas
sion l used to hear from him before
never" He waved his hand impatieptly
and turned his head from me. AT the
same time one of his s-companions made a
sign with his hand toward me. "What!'
whispered | in horror-"a blowi' A brief
nod was the reply. Too well knew the
desperate alternative that awaited such
an insult. asked no more but followed
the group to a copse close by. where I'M
der The shade of a large chestnut tree stood
Won Moltke surrounded by his friends. He
Vas dressed in his costume as a IN
of a Russian Club. @ kind OF uniform of
blue and white with silver braiding on
collar and cuffs. The change his features
had undergone gave him an air of manli-
ness and confidence, aud his bearing in
Dictated a degree of self-reliance q
energy which became him perfectly. A
faint blush colored his cheek as he saw
me enter. and he saluted me c~ourteously.
I returned his salute mournfully. or per-
haps reproachfully, for he turned away
and whispered something to a friend at
his side.
Bismarck all this time sat apart from
the rest and seemed to wait in patience
for the moment as being called on.
"What are they throwing yonder?" l
asked OF a student near me.
For the shot, of course. but the labor
is unnecessary, as Bismarck must fire
first, and as for who comes after him."
SIS he SO sure of that?" [ asked in
horror.
'"Tha he is; a fellow who can take the
neck of a champaign bottle at twenty
PAGES may chance to hit a man at
fifteen"
"Moltke has it," cried u one of those
at the table, and the words were repeated
from mouth to mouth until they reached
Bismarck, who shrugged his shoulders
and merely asked, SIS all ready?" ''Stand
here, Bismarck said Moltke's second. as
he dropped a pebble In the grass. Moltke
was already placed. and stood erect, his
gaze directed to his antagonist, who never
once looked toward him, but kept his
glance fixed straight in front. You fire
first, sir" said Moltke's friend, and his
voice trembled az the words. you may
reserve your fire until l have counted
twenty after tie word is given" AS he
spoke he placed the pistol in Bismarck's
hand, aud called out, Gentlemen, fall
back, fall bsckl Herr Bismarck, are you
resdy?" A nod was the reply, and
scarcely was the word uttered when the
discharge of a pistol was heard. So rapid
was the motion that we never saw him
lift his arm, O could anyone say what
direction the bail had taken. 81 knew it,
1 knew it." muttered Bismarck's friend,
in tones of agony. "All is over with him
now" Before a minute elapsed The word
to fall back was given, and | now beheld
Moltke standing, pistol in hand, with O
smile of cool but determined malice on
his features, while the second repeated
the same words over to him. | turned to
look at Bismarck. but he evincsd no APP
parent consciousness OF what was going
On about him. His eyes, as before. were
bent on vacancy. and his pale face showed
no signs of passion.
Won MoLTKE FIRES.
In an instant the fearful now rang
out, and Moltke slowly raised his arm,
aud, levellins his pistol, steadily stood
with his eyes bent on his victim, while
the deep voice of the second slowly re-
peated one-two-three-four. never was
anything like the terrible suspense of that
moment. 1t seemed as if the very
seconds of human life were measured one
by one. AS the word ten dropped from
his lips | saw Moltke'S hand shake IN his
revengeful desire to kill his man. He
waited too long and grew nervous; he let
his arm fall to his side for a few seconds,
then, raising it again, took steady aim,
and at the word '.nineteen" fred. A
slight movement of Bismarck's head at
this instant brought his face full front,
and the bullet, which would have trans
fixed his head, now merely passed along
his cheek, tearing a rude flesh wound as
it went. A half-cry broke from Moltke-
l heard not the word, but the accent /
shall never forget. 1t was now Bismarck's
time. and as the blood streamed
down his cheek | saw his face assume the
expression 1t used to wear in former days.
A terrible smile lit up his dark features,
\ oYl n rrIan ~ rs r1.lo l51 49,.
glow like that of a maniac. 81 am ready"
-sgive the wordr' cried he in frantic i'm
patience. But. Moltke's second, fearful
of giving away to such a al of pas
sion, hesitated, when Bisnark again
C lied out. The wcrd. sir''-'sthe wordl''
and the ~bystanders. indignant at the APP
pearance of unfairness, repeated the cry.
MEM BRUDER.
The crowd fell back. and the word was
given. Bismark raised his weapon above
his head. then gradually brought it dow
until from the position | occupied | could
see that he aimed for the heart. His
hand was motionless, his eye, riveted on
his antagonist, seemed to fix on one small
spot as though his whole vengeance was
to be giutted there, Never was suspense
more dreadful, and / stood breath
less in the expectation of the fatal
flash, when, with a jerk of his arm, he
threw up the pistol and fired above his
head. aud with a heart rending CRY of
"Mein bruder, mein bruder,' rushed into
Moltke's arms. and fell into a torrent of
tears. III scene was a trying one and
few could have witnessed it unmoved.
Yes" said Bismarck, as we rode home
together. 81 had resolved to kill him, but
wnen my finger was aver on the trigger
I saw a look upon his face tina reminded
me of those earlier and happier days
when we had but one heart and no home
and | felt as if 1 was about to become
the murderer of my brother"