The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-14

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Ing, there he was, though he looked-as
1t seemed to me-rather paler and feebler
than usual.
Here's news for you, Fred" called
out Charlie Thornton. "That rascally
French duelist, De Villeneuve, has met
his match at last, and DR.. Lansett of the
til Bengal Native infantry, who saw
the whole affair, is just going to tell us
all about it,"
"Well, this was how it happened" be-
gan the doctor. "In passing through
Paris stopped to visit my old friend,
Colonel de Malet, and he and I were
strolling through the Tuileries gardens
when suddenly murmur ran through
tho crowd, Here comes De Villeneuve.'
Then the throng parted, and had just
time to catch q glimpse of the bully's
tall figure and long black mustache
when man stepped forth from the
crowd and said something to him. and
then suddenly dealt him blow.
"Then there was rush and clamor
of voices, and everybody came crowding
round SO that ! couldn't see anything.
But presently De Malet came up to me
and said. 'Lansett, we shall want you
in this affair, although Pm afraid that
you won't have chance of showing your
surgery, for De Villeneuve never wounds
without killing Just then the crowd
opened, and saw to my amazement
that this man who had insulted and de-
fed the most terrible fighter in all France
was slim little fellow, with pale, mea-
ger face.
"'As the challenged party, have the
choice of weapons we heard him say
quite coolly, and choose swords
"'Are you mads' cried De Malet, seiz-
ing his arm. Don't you know De Vile
neuve's the deadliest swordsman in Eu-
/ rope. Choose pistols-give yourself
chanceI
pistols may miss-swords can't, an
swered the stranger in a tone of such
savage determination that every one who
heard him, even De Villenueve himself,
furious though he was, gave kind of
shudder Il had vowed never to fight
again, save with man who deserved to
die. But you have deserved it well by
your cold blooded murders, and die you
shallr
"Where both sides were so eager to
fight there was no need of much prepa-
ration. They met that evening, Colonel
de Malet being the strangers second and
another French officer acting for De Viii
leneuve.
"They fought for some time without
a scratch on either side, and then sud
denly the Englishman stumbled for
ward, exposing his left side. Quick as
lightning the Frenchman's point darted
in, and instantly the others shirt was all
crimson with blood, but the moment he
felt the steel pierce him he made thrust
with all his strength and buried his
sword up to the hilt in De Villeneuve's
body Then understood that he had
deliberately laid himself open to his op-
ponent's weapon in order to make cure
of killing him. So he had, for De Viii
leneuve never spoke again."
Just as the doctor said this, down fell
chair with a great crash, and looking
up we saw the quiet man trying to slip
past us to the door. DR.. Lansett sprang
up and caught him by both hands.
You here." he cried "Let me con-
graduate you upon having punished, as
he deserved, the most cold hearted cut
throat in existence. I trust your wound
does not pain you much2"
WHAT" we all shouted, was it he
who killed De Villeneuve?"
Indeed it was" answered the doctor,
"and it was the plucl1iest thing 1 ever
saw"
We all jumped up from our chairs and
came crowding round the hero, setting
up cheer that made tho air ring, but
he looked at us so sadly and darkly that
it made the shout die upon our lips.
"Ah lads! lads!" said he in tone of
deep detection, 'for heavens sake don't
praise man for having shed blood and
destroyed life. killed that ruf1ian as
would have killed wild beast to save
those whom he would have slaughtered.
But God help the man who shall take a
human life merely to crafty his own
pride and angerl If you wish to know
what happiness successful duelist en-
joys, look at me. Do you remember that
story which Captain Thornton told here
the other night about the duel in which
Colonel Fortescue-the famous duelist,'
asyou call him-killed Sir Henry Martin
gale?"
$40 be sure" answered Charlie Thorn
ton, looking rather scared. "But what
of it?"
II was once Colonel Fortescue," was
the MISUNDERSTANDING