The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-03-10
THE MASK DUEL.

= =
Is prepared for than the one at tn,
stone mansion.
!. Judge Booth was known TO be
man Of great wealth, and his loYel
daughter Louise was the belle of b
and It's neighborhOod; and she it wa
who proposed that all Of the entertain
: nents given at private residences dur
ing the season should be ei mGsqae
Her word was law among the young
men and maidens at 3 B- and vicin
! lty; and when she furthermore sug
ged that all the parties should attend
IN the same dress they wore at the
first entertainment, and that all, ex-
cepting the host and hostess of the
evening should remain incogaitC
throughout the season, it was also a
agreed upon by all.
Thus the gay season commenced
and As party after party was given. it
caused great meTriment among the
young people, for they all still kept
mp their iacOgHitO.
The ball at the stone mansion was
to be the last series Of ofmasked gather
lngs, and in magniticence it surpassed
all those previously given.
Throughout the season Louise
Booth, who had worn the dress Of a
| Creek maiden had been constantly
| haunted by two cavaliers one dressed
In a Russian naval uniform. the other
as an officer OF the French army.
That both the gentlemen knew the
! Creek maiden to be Louise Booth
/ there was little doubt, for they batray
ed no surprise when they saw her in
costume but without her mask, as in
duty bound, as hostess, she was com
PEELED to be,
/ But she suspected one OF them to
/ ba Walter Renshaw. one OF her most
intimate gentleman friends and whom
report said, she loved as dearly as he
loved heT, she was positively certain,
and OF the other she could form no
idea regarding his name or fame.
A jealousy had sprung mp between
the two from the evening Of the first
mask ball. and the protector Of Russia's
marine was determined to annihilate
the guardian Of the French empire
To make matters more complicated
the French representative conversed
only.in French. which Louise spoke
tluently, and as he appeared to under
stand the English conversation OF his
rival, lac had the advantage. for not
once did he appear to comprehend a
word OF French
As Is often the case, the kind act Of
women toward one man eXcitps the
enyious jealousy Of another; and thus.
when Louise III a misunderstanding
about the right claimant for a dance.
selected the Russian officer, whom she
believed y alter Renshaw, it caused
the Frenchman to hiss out in perfect
English direct insult to his rival
No other word was said then: but
when the dance had concluded. the
Russian left Louise in charge of
gentleman, and Immediately sought
ont the Freuchman, and touched him
upon the shoulder, quietlyremarking:
II you are not a coward, you VIII
follow me-"
The other instantly turned and
followed his rival out Of the house,
through the beautiful grounds. down
to the banks of small river which
ran through the place when the Rus
sian turned and said:
1t matters not who you are, your
being a guest of the houses where we
have met this season proves You 10 be
a gentleman by birth. If not by nature. |
for no true man would offer the Insult
you did, and in the presence OF a lady. |
You are armed draw your sword and
defend yourself
so be it. We both cannot claim |
Miss Booth so let the best man win |
her"
The moonlight shown ftfuIIy
through the foliage, and lit up the |
scenery sufficiently Well for the com
batants to take their positions. and in
a moment more their swords flashed |
fire as they struck together
For few moments only did the |
combat last, and then the sword OF the |
Russian pierced the side of the French |
officer
Seeing him fall. Walter Renshaw
for Louise had guessed aright-sprang
forward, raised his antagonist head in
his arms, tore the mask from his face.
and them with heart rendering cry:
"Iia, God, it Is my brother Halr'
fell fainting across the form OF the
man he had slain.
Thus were the two brothers found /
when the early sunlight broke through
the foliage Of the trees, and search
had been made for them.
Hal Renshaw's body was consigned /
to the tomb, few days later. by his
broken hearted parents: and for a long
time it was thought that W alter would .
die also, bat his strong contitution raj
he'd and after weeks of illness he again
recovered his health.
Hal Renshaw had been educated III
Europe and at the beginning of win
ter festivities in B had returned /.
from abroad. The two bothers were
devoted TO each other but so inviolate /
were the rules requiring the maskers
to remain iHcogato until the end Of !
the season. that neither suspected who |
the other was.
Spring and summer had come and I
gone and one lovely fall evening
Louise Booth was seated upon theI
broad piazza that encircled the stone /
mansion. She had brooded and sor 7
rowed deeply over tho sad fate of poor +
Hal Renshaw; and sincerely did she /
pity Walter. who had imbrued his I
hands in his brothers blood. and upon /
her account
\ step upon the gravel walk start
led her and a moment more and Wal !
ter Renshaw stood beside her.
Changed wonderfully changed from T
the man she had known and loved six4
months before, he was yet strikingly /
handsome: and he turned his dark. |
earnest eyes upon her, she felt that /
none other could claim her love.