St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-01-06
ONE WAS LOADED.

IuC DllIClp1l hOINioS tt'iN' oS'''o SNJ'
ex ravagant young bachelor, soon
entered into a Whlrl of glddy dlsslpa-
tons.
Lady Emily. his sister, was only
eighteen-pretty, amiable and ineXpe-
rienced and should have been under
the care of very different person from
her brother, who for weeks gave little
heed to anything except his own foilieS,
leaving her much OF the time alone, or
10 such company as chance threw III her
way.
Lord Il ardinge had become paSSonately
fond of The gambling table.
OF course the young lord soon became
an object of special regard to the habi-
tues of the place, who fancied they saw
in him one OF the means CT chances OF
increasing their fortunes.
Among others who would have needed
all influential voucher to have brought
him into tirst-c!ass society i'll England
was one Jean Vauledemar, who claimed
to have been Il cavalry officer under
Napoleon, and was generally known by
the title of Monsieur the Captain"
The gay and thoughtless Engllshman
permitted the cunning fellow 10 worm
himself into his good graces-to play,
drink and carOuSe with him-and occd-
sionally 90 home and spend the night
with him at his hotel.
In this way Monsieur the Captain first
got glimpse OF Lady Emily, ana
shortly after, at his request. an intro
duction to her by the careless brother.
This was exactly what the gamester
wanted; and he at once set all his wits
to work to win the unoccupied heart OF
the lady, and if possible, make his
fortune out of the affair. The captain
was in reality a married man.
He did not go too far at once-for the
gameSter, as all professional gameSterS
are. was an adept in human nature. For
the first he sought only to excite a GER
tain degree OF interest, then sympathy
and then mpassion-Well knowing
that if he could succeed to this extent
the inexperienced girl would soon he Ill
his power, like clay in the hands of the
potter, to be nodded to whatever evil
purpose he might desire.
At last the critical moment came. BY
degrees he had won her regard, her
sympathy, her affections, and one even
ing, when he believed the brother at
the gaming table as usual, he took &C.
casiou, as il by an Irresistible impulse,
TO pour into her willing ear his false
love
Lady Emily listened as one bewild-
ere;l if not entranced. He saw his power
over her and his dark soul eXuted in
the fact. lie took her hand with tren-
bling eagerness. pressed it, kissed 1t.
rose gradually from his knees, gli1ed his
arm around her slender waist, drew her
kindly to him and put his foul lips to
hers.
At this moment the door of the apart
ment was dashed open aud, white with
rage, Lord Hardinge was seen advanc-
ing with long and rapid strides. The
instant he reached the gameSter he
seized him by The throat, hurled him
back and struck him to the ground.
Vauledemar slowly rose to his feet,
his now blanched features expressing
the most malignant hate: and for few
moments, as he gaZed upon the young
nobleman, who was now giving his
whole attention to his unconscious
sister, he appeared to be debating with
himself whether he should kill him on
the spot or not.
NO. he muttered at length, "why
make felon out of myself for revenge
that will be equally sure few hours
later and leave me untainted with
crime?" and with this he Quilted the
apartment without a word to Lord
Hardnge.
1t was at least half an hour before
Lady Emily was So far restored as to
remember what had taken place, and
then, in great trepidation. she demanded
the meaning of the fearful scene.
Lord Hardinge thrust crumpled note
into the hand of Lady Emily, which
read as follows:
Scion of noble house, beware! Go less
to the gaming table and look more at home.
A designing villain, known as Monsieur the
Captain. Is now secretly paying court TO your
innocent sister, while his own wife is pining
in solitude for want of the neceSSaries and
courtesies of life. Make due inquiries and
set watch and you will prove the truth of
AN UNKNOWN FRIEND.
His Wifew almost Shrieked Lady
Emily.
I'VE must leave Paris at once" said
her brother.
Eyes, yes, at oncer" cried Lady Emily
in great excitement; ''before this viii
lain, as | now believe him to be, can do
you personal harm"
At this moment the valet of the noble
man Appeared and whispered something
in his ear.
IL will be down directly" was the
answer of the master, turning a shade
paler.
"What is it, George?" eagerly de-
manded the sister.
only gentleman to see me on some
private business"
"Oh, you must not fight with that base
mani" cried Lady Emily, at once divin-
ing the fearful secret, 'for you will be
killed and shall he left without pro-
tectorW
Have no fear" was the evasive an
swer of Lord Hardinge, as he hurriedly
quilted the apartment.
AS he expected, he received formal
challenge from NJ. Vauledemar. de-
handing satisfaction for the insult of
blow. the note explicitly stating that no
apology would be received.
The nObleman at once declared his
readiness to meet his adversary, but not
in the ordinary way. He Immediately
sent for an English officer Of his ac-
oualntance, Maj. Bassett, of the TIL
Light infantry, and their conference
resulted in the decision to give the
Frenchman a meeting. provided he
should accede to the terms and cOndi-
tions which the challenged party
claimed the right to propose.
As Monsieur the Captain was known
to be a dead shot, who had already
killed several antagonists, and as Lord
Hardlnge had never fired pistol a
half-dozen times in his life, the terms
and conditions were accordingly that
the parties should meet oh the follow
ing morning at O'Clock, at place deS-
ignated in the Bots de B0ulogne; that
two dueling pistols should be then and
there selected by the seconds, and one,
and only one. of these be loaded; that
these pistols should then be rffectuelly
concealed under handkerchief and be
drawn by the principals according to
lot, and that, when so drayA, each
should be placed to the breaS OF the
other. and both triggers be pulled at the
word.
1--WE shall see," said Maj. Bassett,
with a grim smile, If this redoubtable
hero vii! have the courage to fight with
an equal chance against him"
Somewhat contrary 10 his eXpecta-
tta aAnsnnfnh